Patrick Brown says he will “SCRAP” the Wynne sex-¬ed

[Scarborough, ON – August 26, 2016] In a letter addressed to Ontario parents dated August 24, 2016, Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown promised that “Upon being elected, a PC Government would scrap the controversial changes to sex-­ed introduced by Premier Wynne”.

A copy of the letter was obtained by Queenie Yu, the only Independent Candidate running in the September 1st Scarborough-­‐Rouge River byelection.

Yu, who has been running on a platform of opposing the Wynne sex-­‐ed curriculum, was pleased – up to a
point – with Brown’s position on this issue.

“Congratulations to Patrick Brown for publicly stating this commitment to Ontario parents,” said Yu. “Undoubtedly, the PC leader is also hearing what parents have been telling me as I campaign in Scarborough: the sex-­ed curriculum is problematic, and parents continue to have concerns regarding what is being taught in the school system.”

Yu expressed a note of caution regarding Brown’s announcement, however. “This PC Party position is good – scrap the Wynne sex-­ed – but we still have no idea what the Brown PCs will put in its place. We only really have a promise to consult parents, but how many and which ones? The Liberals promised to consult with parents, and that never really happened.”

Yu has another concern. “It’s great that Brown promises to eliminate Wynne’s sex-­‐ed curriculum now, a week before voting day, but we don’t really know what his specific objections are to the actual content of the curriculum,” said Yu.

“For example, parents have told me that they oppose Wynne’s sex-­‐ed agenda because of the explicit content that is being taught to young children. It is ‘age-­inappropriate’ and constitutes the sexualization of children,” said Yu. “Patrick Brown has only really criticized the current curriculum on the basis of process issues. He is still silent on the content. I think parents want to know that he’s fully on their side.”

Yu wonders what the Brown sex-­‐ed curriculum will look like. “I agree with Brown that parents need advance notice of what is being taught, and that parents have the right to withdraw their children from classes at their discretion,” said Yu. “But what I would expect from a new government – presumably, from a Patrick Brown PC government – would be a curriculum that avoids the sexualization of children.”

“Today, Patrick Brown took an important first step in addressing the concerns of Ontario parents,” said Yu, “but he still needs to explain his view of what is appropriate and what is inappropriate for Ontario schools when it comes to sex-­ed.”

For more information, contact
Queenie Yu, Independent Candidate, Scarborough-­‐Rouge River
queenie@stopwynnesexed.com 647-­465-­0395