April 20
Charles McVety and two other Christian rightwingers complain about new sexual health curricula set to be launched in September 2010. The Globe and Mail, CanWest and some other media outlets report that the curriculum updates contain “explicit” content.
April 21
The Globe and Mail puts Suad Aimad, president of Somali Parents for Education, on the cover. She says Muslims are up in arms over the changes.
April 21
Several CanWest papers run stories that say the province’s Catholic school boards will not implement the sex ed changes.
April 21
Ontario Progressive Conservatives, including Lisa MacLeod, speak out against the guidelines. In the afternoon, Premier Dalton McGuinty gives a fiery defence of the lessons.
April 21
NDP education critic Rosario Marchese tells Xtra that the NDP supports the 2010 update.
April 22
In the morning, cabinet minister Sandra Pupatello defends the curriculum as vitally important. Visibly upset, former education minister Kathleen Wynne calls the Tories “despicable” for opposing the changes.
April 22
The president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, Sam Hammond, endorses the new curriculum.
April 22
In the afternoon, the Liberals’ tune changes. McGuinty announces that the government will not implement the health curriculum until it gets a “rethink.”
April 23
National Post prints an extended interview with McVety, where he says a “militant” gay agenda was behind the curriculum revisions.
April 23
Newly minted Liberal MPP Glen Murray says he supports the 2010 update and pleads for more time to convince his party to forge ahead. He hints that decisions could be deferred until after the 2011 election.
April 26
Pressure mounts on McGuinty to go ahead with the curriculum update, following endorsements of the 2010 guide by dozens of groups.
April 27
NDP leader Andrea Horwath tells Xtra that she’ll “wait and see” what McGuinty does next, rather than advance her own plan.
April 27
McGuinty says that all of the new health curricula will be implemented in 2010, except for sex ed.
April 28
Public and Catholic school boards will both be required to teach the new curriculum, whatever it is, McGuinty says.
Why you can trust Xtra
