Ontario’s new Progressive Conservative government is sending mixed messages on its decision to teach the 1998 sex-education curriculum, which predates Google, social media and same-sex marriage.

While Education Minister Lisa Thompson reiterated the modern 2015 syllabus, opposed by social conservatives, is being scrapped, she insisted issues of consent, gender, same-sex relationships, and cyber safety would still be taught this fall, even though those elements are not included in the old curriculum.

“We are going to be preparing our students and preparing them for the realities of 2018 and we’re going to be embracing what was being taught in 2014,” Thompson said Monday.

At that time, students learned the 1998 curriculum, which does not address those issues.

“What we’ll be taking a look at and rolling back to 2014 with is specifically the curriculum that embraces preparing students for the realities of today. We will be rolling back our sex-ed focus. What we’ll be looking at is the developing sexual relations. That’s the part in the curriculum that we’ll be taking a look at,” she said.

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The rookie minister bolted from reporters after taking questions for less than three minutes.

Four hours later, she issued a 210-word statement saying the 1998 syllabus “leaves ample space to discuss current social issues.”

“As of today, we have made no decisions on what the new curriculum will look like. The final decision on the scope of the new curriculum will be based on what we hear from Ontario parents,” said Thompson, noting Premier Doug Ford would keep his election promise to consult on the curriculum.

Last Wednesday, she unilaterally announced “the sex-ed component is going to be reverted back to the manner in which it was prior to the changes that were introduced by the Liberal government.”

That meant returning to the 20-year-old curriculum instead of the updated one covering subject matter like LGBT relationships, gender identity, cyberbullying, and the dangers of sexting.

Since then, the Tories have been taking heat from parents, educators, community activists and political rivals.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath blamed the fledgling government for sparking confusion.

“It’s reprehensible and irresponsible that this government has left everything in such disarray that educators in our province aren’t even aware … of what’s going to happen come September. That’s not the way education systems are supposed to be operated,” she said.

Horwath said that “what we need to do is make sure that the education of our youth takes priority over Mr. Ford’s favours to his social conservative friends. That’s the bottom line.”

She also accused the Tory government of “flying by the seat of its pants.

“It seems to me that the only thing they’ve told the public is that they are going back to the 1998 curriculum. That is not going to keep our children safe. That does not include things like cyberbullying. It does not include things like consent,” the NDP leader said.

“Those things weren’t in the curriculum back in 1998 and so how it’s suddenly going to appear in the curriculum overnight or within a couple of weeks, and the education professionals in our province are supposed to be able to deal with this, I have no idea,” she said.

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“It does not make any sense.”

Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser said it’s not clear what Thompson is talking about.

“It’s been taught for three years. What was taught before then was the 1998 curriculum, so they’ve cancelled the most consulted piece of curriculum ever in Ontario — 2,700 teachers, 4,000 parents, 700 students,” said Fraser.

“I don’t know what she’s talking about. There’s no third curriculum. Somehow there’s some magical third curriculum that nobody knows about?” he said.

Green Leader Mike Schreiner said it seems as if the Tory government has “declared war on the modern world.

“Most people want a modern curriculum because they recognize that it’s 2018, not 1998,” said Schreiner.

Ford promised to revisit the curriculum as a sop to his social conservative supporters, who oppose abortion rights and same-sex marriage.

The updated syllabus the Tories are scrapping includes teaching proper names for body parts and genitals in Grade 1, which is a change child-abuse investigators had long urged.

In Grade 3, the concept of same-sex relationships is introduced.

Students in Grade 4 are taught about online safety as well as puberty.

In Grade 6, they learn what masturbation is, as well as about consent and healthy relationships.

Grade 7 students are warned about the risks of “sexting” and learn about sexually transmitted diseases and informed about oral and anal sex.

With Files From Rob Ferguson

Robert Benzie is the Star's Queen's Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

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