More Than A Third Disapprove Of Sex Ed Curriculum
One sixth have or would withdraw children
from school
In a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum
Poll among 1172 Ontario voters, one half approve of the province’s new sex
education curriculum (48%), while just more than a third disapprove (36%). One
sixth do not have an opinion (15%). This is in comparison to July of last year,
when one half approved (49%) and more than a third disapproved (37%). At that
time one sixth had no opinion (14%).Disapproval of the curriculum is
characteristic of the mid aged (45 to 54 - 41%), the less wealthy ($20K to $40K
- 42%), among PC supporters especially (56%), among the least educated
(secondary school or less - 46%), Protestant Christians (45%), Pentecostal or
Evangelical Christians especially (80%), other Christians (44%) but not those of
no religious belief (18%).
One sixth have or would withdraw
children from school
In total, 1-in-33 parents have withdrawn a child from the
public school system because the sex education curriculum (3%) and a further
tenth or so would withhold children if they had any in elementary school (13%)
for a total of one sixth who have or would take their children out of school
because of the curriculum (16%).
Two thirds disagree Catholic School
boards should avoid anti-bullying guidelines
Two thirds disagree Catholic school boards should be able to
avoid following the province’s anti-bullying guidelines, because they include
discussions of sexual identity (62%), while just one quarter agree that
Catholic schools should not have to follow the guidelines (26%) and one tenth
have no opinion (14%). Agreeing that Catholic schools should not have to host
discussions of sexual orientation is characteristic of the mid aged (45 to 54 -
31%), in southwestern Ontario (30%), among PC voters (41%), mothers of children
under 18 (32%), the least educated (30%), Pentecostal or Evangelical Christians
(66%), other Christians (33%) and members of non-Christian religions (35%).
Catholics are no more likely to support it than others (29%).
One half think funds should be withheld
from non-compliant school boards
One half of Ontario voters agree that public funding should
be withheld from Catholic school boards which choose not to implement the new
anti-bullying guidelines (48%), while 4-in-10 disagree (39%). One tenth have no
opinion (13%).
Agreeing funds should be withheld from non-compliant boards
is common to the oldest (54%), those in mid income ($40K to $60K - 54%) and
very wealthy brackets ($100K to $250K - 52%), in the city of Toronto and
northern Ontario (52% each), among Liberals (54%) and New Democrats (58%),
Protestant Christians (52%), those with no religion (62%) and those who approve
of the new sex education curriculum (62%).
Four-in-ten opposed to public funding of
Catholic schools in Ontario
Four-in-ten voters disagree Catholic schools should continue
to receive public funds (40%), and they are outnumbered by those who believe
the funding should continue (47%). One tenth have no opinion (13%). This is in
contrast to the last time we polled this question, three years ago, when the no
side was somewhat more numerous (May, 2013 - 44%) and the don’t knows rarer
(8%). Being against public funding of Catholic schools is common to the
youngest (45%), males (44%), mid income groups ($40K to $60K - 44%) and the
wealthiest ($100K to $250K - 44%), in Northern Ontario (47%), the best educated
(post grad - 44%), Protestant Christians (47%), non-Christians (46%), those who
have no religion (58%) and those who approve of the new sex education
curriculum (49%).
“Public funding of Catholic schools is something of an open
constitutional sore in Ontario. We keep picking at the scab, so it never heals.
It is clear that those Catholic school boards who are resisting the province’s
anti-bullying guidelines do not have the public on their side, and that could
be damaging to their own interests in the long run" said Forum Research
President, Dr. Lorne Bozinoff.
