Saskatoon mother Tamara Hinz is frustrated that her son was unable to see a puppet show about sexual abuse prevention at his school due to a provincial ban on third-party organizations presenting sexual education in schools. The show, titled “I’m the Boss of Me,” has been shown in schools in the city and surrounding area since 2007 and has reached 41,000 children. The ban was implemented by the Saskatchewan Party government last year in an effort to increase parental involvement in classrooms. As a result, organizations like the Saskatoon Sexual Assault and Information Centre are now partnering with public libraries to reach children, although they admit that this approach is reaching fewer students.
Amber Stewart, the executive director of the Battlefords and Area Sexual Assault Centre in North Battleford, also expressed concerns about the ban, noting that the children who most need the information about sexual abuse prevention may not be reached if their parents do not support the organization. Since the ban, there has been an increase in teachers reaching out for one-on-one counseling for students, leading to waitlists due to high demand. Critics of the ban have highlighted Saskatchewan’s high rates of interpersonal violence, sexual assault, adolescent pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections, emphasizing the importance of educating youth about abuse prevention.
Lisa Miller, the executive director at the Regina Sexual Assault Centre, stressed the importance of children learning about abuse prevention so they can identify unsafe behaviors and know where to seek help. She noted that children who are being abused are not likely to receive abuse prevention education at home. The Saskatchewan government has stated that the ban on third-party organizations presenting sexual education in schools is temporary and under review. Planned Parenthood was the first organization to be suspended after a teacher inadvertently mixed a card set with graphic sexual words into a Grade 9 sexual health class, leading to the ban of all outside organizations teaching sexual health.
Julian Wotherspoon, the executive director at Planned Parenthood Regina, mentioned that the organization is continuing to offer programming and is focusing on assisting teachers in addressing tough subjects and questions related to sexual health. Wotherspoon highlighted the larger movement in Saskatchewan that aims to limit sexual health education and restrict the autonomy of youth in accessing accurate and evidence-based health information. The province has also implemented measures requiring schools to inform parents about sexual education and provide them with the opportunity to opt their children out of lessons. Additionally, children under 16 are now unable to change their names or pronouns at school without parental consent.
Overall, the ban on third-party organizations presenting sexual education in schools in Saskatchewan has led to organizations such as the Saskatoon Sexual Assault and Information Centre and the Battlefords and Area Sexual Assault Centre partnering with libraries to reach children. However, concerns have been raised about the potential impact of the ban on reaching children who most need information about abuse prevention. Critics have emphasized the importance of educating youth about abuse to help them identify unsafe behaviors and know where to seek help. Organizations like Planned Parenthood Regina are continuing to offer programming and are focusing on assisting teachers in addressing tough subjects related to sexual health. The broader movement in Saskatchewan aims to limit sexual health education and restrict the autonomy of youth in accessing accurate information.
