The directors of Planned Parenthood in Canada said they were "disappointed" with Saskatchewan Education Minister Dustin Duncan's decision to ban their sex education presentations in the province's schools. Executive Director, Julian Wotherspoon, commented:
We were especially surprised (...) This was a decision that was made without contacting us to inquire about our programs or any of the resources or services we provide, so it was disappointing news.
The suspension comes after the organization held a talk at a school in the town of Lumsden. There, a ninth grader obtained a graphic sexual vocabulary game that explains erotic acts, pornography and fetishes using the letters of the alphabet.
"Completely inappropriate" material
According to its own description, the game called Using Sex: From A-Z Cards is "a set of cards intended for people gay, bi and queer young people. This is a fun and accessible resource that facilitates humorous and frank discussion among young people about sexuality and HIV and STI prevention. Service providers can also use it as a discussion tool in workshops and training sessions."
The media outlet LiveAction had access to the images and text on the cards and reported some of the most disturbing content:
- "Examples of cards are A for auto-fellatio and B for bisexual. The bisexual card says: Someone who is attracted to both men and women. It must be nice to have so much selection. The world is your oyster. Go out and crack open a few! Just remember, regardless of gender, put on a condom with water-based lubricant before diving in."
- Other cards talk about "ingesting fecal matter, thinking about your "hot gym teacher from high school" in order to get an erection. Some even claim that semen "tastes good." Orgasm is compared to 'demonic possession' and homosexual behavior is encouraged."
- "The K-card encourages kink sex, calling it simply "non-traditional sex" and saying that "for some, being restrained with a ball gag while being tickled by their hooded master is an everyday occurrence..."
- "Other cards tell teens that they are "one lucky duck" if they engage in sexual activities with more than one person at a time and suggest that having anal sex without a condom is okay as long as you "get tested regularly for HIV and STIs."
Planned Parenthood acknowledged that the brochure had not been approved by the school
The abortion organization said that the game was not formally presented at the talk. However, it acknowledged that the school was not aware that the cards would be present among its materials. According to Wotherspoon:
Normally, we wouldn't have had information there that the teachers weren't familiar with and, going forward, we'll have better communication (...) It wasn't part of what we were there to present, but when we bring secondary resources with us, none of the educators know everything and often the youth will come to us afterward and ask us about their own experiences or things they're very curious about and it's good to have a box of things that we can go through so they can connect with the information they need.
Minister Duncan stated that not only as a "minister of education" but also as a "parent" he considers it inappropriate for such material to be in a classroom:
I think, as Minister of Education, frankly, as a parent, it's completely inappropriate (for these materials) to be in a classroom (...) We want to make sure that the material is not going to be part of the resources that will be provided to students.
The Ministry of Education will review the teaching methods used for sex education in provincial schools to ensure that they are age-appropriate for students.
