Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
National

School Superintendent Says 'Unbelievable Mistake' To Give Kids Graphic Sex Guide

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 28 Jun, 2019 11:43 PM

    CRANBROOK, B.C. — The manager of a public health nurse says she is sorry for mistakenly giving a class of British Columbia students a sex-education guide that contained graphic images, including a picture of bondage between cartoon animals.


    Roger Parsonage, executive director of clinical operations for the East Kootenay region served by the Interior Health Authority, says he's not sure why the adult booklet was distributed to students in Grades 6 and 7 after a session on sexual health.


    Parsonage says the nurse was teaching at Erickson Elementary School in Creston, B.C., with a student nurse when the children were given the explicit booklet containing information about sexually transmitted diseases and drug use during sex.


    He says material used for future classes will be reviewed by Interior Health and the school district before it's provided to students.


    Parsonage says he is not sure why the booklet was brought to the school in the first place but any material that is used in future classes will be reviewed in advance by Interior Health and the school district.


    He says third-party material is used to teach sexual health but it must be appropriate for school-aged children.


    "All of us are sorry that this happened," Parsonage says. "And we've apologized to the parents as well as to the school, the principal and the school district. This was a mistake that shouldn't have occurred and we'll take steps to ensure it won't happen again."


    Christine Perkins, superintendent of the Kootenay Lake School District, says the "unfortunate, unbelievable mistake" last week had parents complaining at a public board meeting.


    She says parents were shocked when children brought home the booklet, produced by a Toronto group called CATIE — the Canadian Aids Treatment Information Exchange.


    "I was shocked when I looked at it," she says, adding the booklet clearly states it's for mature audiences. "I think of myself as fairly open minded and liberal and I was appalled," she says.


    Perkins says a school psychologist phoned all the parents and offered counselling at the school this week or group counselling next week but no one has taken up the offer so far.


    "We have increased and improved our vetting of anything that comes through the schools so we're hyper vigilant now after this happened. It was just way too graphic and way too adult for Grade 6 and 7 students and that's just the bottom line."

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Finance Minister Acknowledges Skepticism, Vows To Build Trans Mountain Expansion

    Finance Minister Acknowledges Skepticism, Vows To Build Trans Mountain Expansion
    CALGARY — Canada's finance minister says the best way to convince a skeptical oilpatch that the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion Ottawa approved Tuesday will actually be built is to go ahead and build it.    

    Finance Minister Acknowledges Skepticism, Vows To Build Trans Mountain Expansion

    Acts Of Kindness Emerge At Chaotic Raptors Rally Derailed By Shooting

    As authorities now look to learn lessons from the event marred by overcrowding and violence on Monday, accounts of acts of kindness by complete strangers have emerged.

    Acts Of Kindness Emerge At Chaotic Raptors Rally Derailed By Shooting

    Canada Resettled More Refugees Than Any Other Country In 2018, UN Says

    Canada Resettled More Refugees Than Any Other Country In 2018, UN Says
    OTTAWA — The United Nations Refugee Agency says Canada admitted the largest number of resettled refugees last year and had the second highest rate of refugees who gained citizenship.

    Canada Resettled More Refugees Than Any Other Country In 2018, UN Says

    Tax Credits, Penalizing Big Polluters, Key To Conservative Climate Plan

    Scheer is unveiling his long-awaited climate plan later today in a speech in Gatineau, Que.    

    Tax Credits, Penalizing Big Polluters, Key To Conservative Climate Plan

    Make Passports Free To Ease New No-Fly List Measures, Federal Panel Suggests

    Make Passports Free To Ease New No-Fly List Measures, Federal Panel Suggests
    OTTAWA — A federal advisory panel says Ottawa should consider making passports free to everyone for one year to ease the introduction of new no-fly list procedures.    

    Make Passports Free To Ease New No-Fly List Measures, Federal Panel Suggests

    Police Say Baby Boy Subject Of Amber Alert In Alberta Found Safe

    Police Say Baby Boy Subject Of Amber Alert In Alberta Found Safe
    FAIRVIEW, Alta. — Police in northwestern Alberta have cancelled an Amber Alert for a seven-month-old boy who was believed to have been abducted by his father.

    Police Say Baby Boy Subject Of Amber Alert In Alberta Found Safe