The Ontario government is now facing four challenges over its decision that forces teachers to use an outdated sex-ed curriculum.

Two transgender teens are part of a second human rights case launched against the Ontario government for reverting to the 1998 lessons. The province is also fighting two court battles over the move — with the country’s largest teachers’ union and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association — that will be heard in November.

Ryan and Noah, both 15, say using the two-decade-old lessons — which don’t explicitly mention LGBTQ youth — means teens like them are no longer reflected in the classroom. They say that could lead to an unwelcoming, even “hostile” school environment.

“In my mind, the most important thing is the lack of inclusion,” said Ryan, who is being identified by first name only in the case, as is Noah. Both attend secondary school in Toronto.

“If heterosexual students are getting the sexual education they need to have safe sex and make proper decisions about that, and (LGBTQ) students are not receiving that education, what they are learning does not apply to them at all.”

Ryan also said non-LGBTQ students “are growing up with ignorant misinformation. They won’t be understanding, they won’t be accepting” if they aren’t discussing issues when they are in elementary school.

High school students continue to receive the updated 2015 curriculum, but both teens say no longer using it in elementary schools will create a knowledge gap.

Younger students are now to be taught lessons that were in use from 1998-2014, reissued by the government with very minor changes.

Read more:

Three court cases aim to return the updated sex-ed curriculum to classrooms

School board’s sex-ed guideline for parents meant to clear up confusion

Opinion | Martin Regg Cohn: Doug Ford’s ‘father knows best’ sex-ed strategy places ideology over biology

They say the 2015 sex-ed curriculum — which talked about same-sex families and gender — were “critical to reducing the level of discrimination and bullying” when they were in elementary school.

“The way I see it, when younger students are coming into high school ... they are not educated on my identity,” said Ryan. “Just knowing that they didn’t receive proper education ... makes me very uncomfortable in the halls.”

Andrea Luey, a lawyer with the non-profit Justice for Children and Youth who is handling the case, said “removing all mandatory content about LGBTQ2 issues from the sex-ed curriculum sends a clear message to these youth that their identities either do not exist or are too shameful to be discussed at an elementary level.”

Student protests in support of the updated sex-ed curriculum are planned Thursday and Friday in schools across the province.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association are seeking to keep the newer lessons in classrooms, arguing the government is violating Charter rights, the Education Act and educators’ professional responsibilities.

The teachers’ union is also seeking to shut down a parent complaint portal it has likened to a “snitch line.”

LGBT elementary students have also launched a human rights tribunal case.

The provincial government has promised public consultations on sex-ed and other issues, and Education Minister Lisa Thompson said Monday that they will be launched next week.

Thompson said she could not comment on cases before the courts, but added, “I think when we launch, people are going to see that we are putting our best foot forward, and when everyone has an opportunity to exercise their voice and particularly in the consultations, they’ll see that we are going to be heading in the right direction.”

In an open letter to Thompson, NDP Education Critic Marit Stiles said details of the consultation need to be made public as soon as possible.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

“The Aug. 22 announcement from the premier’s office stated that the consultation would include ‘an online survey, telephone town halls in every region of Ontario, and a submission platform that will allow interested individuals and groups to present detailed proposals to the Ministry.’

“That followed the premier’s promise that your government would ‘sit down’ with parents in all 124 ridings,” wrote Stiles, the MPP for Davenport.

“The lack of clarity around these changes has left parents across Ontario in the dark about exactly what curriculum their children will be taught this year, and how they can have a say in any changes the government is planning.”