The Alberta government is advancing a new piece of legislation that would require parents to actively sign up for their children to participate in sexual education classes, reversing the current opt-out model. The proposed change also includes a requirement for pre-approval of outside resources or presentations by the education ministry.
Critics, including Jason Schilling, president of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, argue that the legislation introduces unnecessary administrative hurdles. He says that sexual education is currently taught using materials from Alberta Health Services and is already age-appropriate and factual. He warns that the opt-in model could result in students missing valuable information, particularly as Alberta faces rising rates of sexually transmitted infections (STI’s).
Recent data from the province indicates a significant increase in STI cases. Gonorrhea cases rose to 1,334 in the first quarter of 2024, up from 1,247 in the same period of 2022. Chlamydia cases also increased to 4,234 from 4,030.
Teachers stress that the current opt-out system already allows parents to choose whether or not their children receive these lessons.
