I find it funny that these two articles were listed together while I was reading the news over at CBC.ca.
The first article? Alberta passes law allowing parents to pull kids out of class. An article about how teachers must inform parents whenever anything about sex or religion is going to be taught in the classroom so that parents can decide to pull their kids out of class for the day. While I realize that the liberal parents of school-aged children will have no issues allowing their children to learn about sexual education and other religions, it’s disheartening to know that there are some kids who will get pulled out of class when the teacher is going to be teaching their classmates about safe sex or different religions that they may have not encountered before. The article also mentions that it creates a loophole for teachers to be subject to human rights complaints. That being said, can children be excused from class by the wishes of a parent if the teacher is going to be speaking about Christianity, creationism and heterosexuality?
Secondly, was this great little article called Expand sex ed to all grades comes from Ontario.Which suggests starting age-appropriate sex ed as young as kindergarten. And I realize that Alberta and Ontario are fairly far apart, but I do feel that it’s rather sad that while one province will be limiting the amount of education that the children in the public education system will be receiving, another province is considering expanding their education in order to have the kids be educated on topics that do matter to them. But… oh well…
Anyways, work went pretty… slowly today. Not a whole lot to comment on that, or anything else for that matter today… I had a moment today when I was feeling pretty helpless and inadequate. That was hardly any fun, of course. But do you ever get the feeling that you’re just not… good enough?
But anyways, that’s depressing, and getting me into a not-so-cheerful mood again. So… On the topic of actually doing things this summer… I’m making some form of progress on my plans to “actually do something”. I’m working on a new crochet project (I keep on picking the up, doing something and then setting it aside – it’s a curse, I swear!). I’ve hung out with friends a few times and hopefully there’ll be more of that. Have been spend an absurd amount of time at work (hence the phrase ‘full time’). Also have been reading, watching tv and, in general, avoiding my father. Now that the first full month of my summer vacation (Is it still called a “vacation” if you’re technically off from school but working 40 hour weeks?) has been completed, I must say that I’m rather pleased with what I’ve done so far. Started off slow, but I’ve actually been… not spending every single weekend at home. Win. =)
Questions:
- When’s the last time that you had a ‘real’ vacation?
- What’s one thing that you have been feeling today?
- What are you looking forward to the most in the month of June?
My answers:
- Umm… The three days between my last exam and my first day of work for the summer term?
- Inadequate (or insignificant, that one works too)
- I’m not quite sure yet, but when I figure it out, I’ll let you know.
You most definitely grabbed my attention. 😛 Teenagers should be taught some information in regards to sex, but most definitely not all grades. In fact, I saw a rather scarring set of images on someone’s blog of extremely young children participating in rather… sexual behaviour. 🙁 But if the parents are allowed to pull their child out of learning that sort of thing, by all means. They should definitely be warned if anything like that is to be taught.
I do get the feeling I’m not good enough. For me when it comes to schoolwork though. :/
1. When’s the last time that you had a ‘real’ vacation?
Ummm… well last time I had a vacation of sorts, I found it boring. It was just the whole visit-the-relatives type thing.
2. What’s one thing that you have been feeling today?
Numb. I have felt numb due to some things that have happened.
3. What are you looking forward to the most in the month of June?
Holidays :3
STOO-PID IDEA.
If children don’t learn and become aware about diversity such as religion, races then they will obviously not be accustomed to an unfamiliar situation like a different religion. Same with sex.
Fear leads to violence.
It’ll be like Hitler all over again.
“You’re different, we must cleanse the nation”. GAH.
If you enrol your kids into school, you surrender the right to educate your kids between the school opening times to educated professionals. You may not “Pull them out”. This is my belief anyways.
Great post. 🙂
1. Never. I’ve had them, but never ‘real’ ones.
2. MEGA TIRED. The life of a hyper-insomniac I suppose.
3. Summer sun and NO exams. 😀
Oh I remember that, we too learnt about ‘private parts’. I think that’s pretty considerate that they are age-appropriate. My friend missed out on sex education ages ago and it was pretty funny… 😛
I still think basic sex education is necessary. I remember when my brother told my mum he was going to be learning that sort of stuff, my mum was shocked for a while… xD
Haha that is pretty funny. I was pretty sheltered even through school. I even went to an all girls high school and the nun who ran it thought that the reproductive chapter in biology was inappropriate even though it would appear on our state tests and wouldn’t let our teachers teach it.
1. A real vacation? Hahahaha I can’t even remember.
2. Well if we’re talking about things, I’ve been feeling my keyboard, steering wheel, and pens.
3. Uh… my wedding! 😛
I don’t think I like that pull-out law. Like you said, there are no doubt going to be a lot of kids that are yanked out of sexual education classes and religion classes because their parents are close-minded. I’m a firm believer in exposing children to many different views and religions, and I wouldn’t pull my kid out of class just because a lesson or two on Buddhism or Judaism was going to be taught. And sex education is even MORE important, since the repercussions of not knowing the basics of it and how to be safe while having it are pretty damn severe.
And on that note, I have to admit that I’m pretty iffy on teaching anything beyond basic sexual education to kindergartners. Third graders? Yes. But second, first, and little six year olds? Eh… not so much.
In answer to your questions, my last “real” vacation was this past January. My husband surprised me with a weekend getaway to Pittsburgh.
The one thing I have been feeling today is anxious.
And at the end of June is our four day vacation in Ocean City, MD, so it’s a pretty safe bet to say that I am VERY excited for that!