As Toronto braces for what organizers are calling the “Million People March” against Ontario’s sex education curriculum, I’ve spent the past week speaking with parents, educators and officials about this contentious issue that has our city divided.
The protest, scheduled for this Sunday at Queen’s Park, comes amid growing parental concerns about sexual content in schools. Event organizer Kamel El-Cheikh tells me he expects “tens of thousands” to attend, though official estimates remain considerably lower.
“Parents deserve to know what their children are being taught,” El-Cheikh said during our conversation at a Scarborough coffee shop. “This isn’t about politics – it’s about protecting our kids.”
The demonstration targets what protesters describe as “age-inappropriate” content in Ontario’s health curriculum. Walking through schoolyards in North York last week, I heard repeatedly from concerned parents that their primary issue isn’t sex education itself, but rather what they consider premature introduction of certain concepts.
Toronto District School Board spokesperson Ryan Bird provided clarification on the curriculum’s implementation. “Ontario’s Health and Physical Education curriculum follows provincial guidelines while respecting diverse community perspectives,” Bird explained. “Teachers are trained to present material appropriately.”
Education Minister Stephen Lecce’s office declined my interview request but provided a statement emphasizing that parents can exempt children from specific lessons. However, many parents I interviewed weren’t aware of this option.
Dr. Marina Cohen, an educational psychologist I consulted, stressed the importance of evidence-based approaches. “Research consistently shows that comprehensive, age-appropriate sexual health education leads to healthier outcomes for young people,” Cohen noted.
The protest reflects deeper cultural tensions in our diverse city. At a community center near Thorncliffe Park, I met Samira Ahmed, a mother of three who supports the curriculum. “Children need accurate information from trusted sources,” Ahmed said. “The alternative is they learn from the internet or their peers.”
Toronto Police Service confirmed they’re preparing for Sunday’s demonstration with additional officers deployed to ensure safety. Deputy Chief Lauren Pogue told me, “We respect the right to peaceful protest while ensuring public safety remains our priority.”
Similar protests in 2015 drew thousands when the curriculum was last updated. The Ford government briefly repealed those changes after taking office before reinstating most elements with modifications.
The debate extends beyond curriculum content to questions about parental authority versus educational expertise. School trustee James Li explained that finding balance is challenging. “We must respect both parental rights and professional educational standards,” Li said during our meeting at his office.
As Sunday approaches, the demonstration highlights Toronto’s ongoing struggle to navigate complex social issues in one of North America’s most diverse cities. Whether attendance reaches the ambitious “million” mark or not, the protest underscores the passionate views many Torontonians hold about their children’s education.
Walking back to my office through Yonge-Dundas Square yesterday, I couldn’t help noticing the irony – in a city where explicit advertisements tower over public spaces, the debate over what children should learn about their bodies continues to spark intense controversy.
