P.E.A.C.E. – Public Education Advocates for Christian Equity

Call to Action!!!

Biased Liberal Anti-Bullying Legislation Mandates Favour for Homosexual Agenda

With the election of a Liberal minority, traditional-principled families with children in public education are facing increased challenges.

The Liberals have been pushing an Equity Strategy designed to integrate instruction that affirms those who identify as homosexual, bisexual and transgendered. The claim is this is designed to address the bullying issues in schools. PEACE, and other groups, have stated repeatedly, instead of curriculum affirming LGBT lifestyles the government should develop and enforce anti-bullying legislation that would apply to all bullying situations.

Last week, the provincial government announced legislation (Anti-Bullying Bill 13) to this effect, however within the legislation are mandates that traditional-principled families must be aware of:

1. Requiring teachers in the Public and Catholic systems to teach the radical sex gender curriculum:

   Bill 13 Section 2. (1) Paragraph 29.1 of subsection 8 (1) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted: equity and inclusive education

   29.1 require boards to develop and implement an equity and inclusive education policy, and, if required by the Minister, submit the policy to the Minister and implement changes to the policy as directed by the Minister;

2. Homosexual Clubs in all Public and Catholic Schools
   Bill 13 Section 9. Board support for certain pupil activities and organizations
   303.1 Every board shall support pupils who want to establish and lead,

   (ii) activities or organizations that promote gender equity;

   (b) activities or organizations that promote anti-racism;

   I activities or organizations that promote the awareness and understanding of, and respect for, people with disabilities; or

   (d) activities or organizations that promote the awareness and understanding of, and respect for, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, including organizations with the name gay-straight alliance or another name.

3. Forcing private religious schools and churches renting publicly-funded school property to follow the Province’s agenda within their own operations.
   Bill 13 Section 7 (2) Agreements with third parties re use of schools

   (3.1) If a board enters into an agreement with another person or entity, other than a board, respecting the use of a school operated by the board, the board shall include in the agreement a requirement that the person or entity follow standards that are consistent with the code of conduct.

   As Christina Blizzard stated in a recent article,

   "...the new law has been hijacked by special interests who are more concerned about getting gay/straight alliances in schools than they are in dealing with bullying." Read More http://www.torontosun.com/2011/12/06/anti-bullying-bill-hijacked-by-special-interests?utm_source=addThis&utm_medium=addthis_button_email&utm_campaign=Anti-bullying+bill+hijacked+by+special+interests+%7C+Ontario+%7C+News+%7C+Toronto+Sun#.Tuiv1CawGuE.email

Please Take Action!

In the spring of 2010, when the traditional principled community responded to the controversial sex education curriculum, the Premier pulled it from the website – but it has not gone away! We must keep up the pressure. Communicate your concern over this misuse of legislation. Do the following:

1. Call the Premiere, Hon. Dalton McGuinty, at his office … 416 325 1941 and express your concern.
2. Email your local MPP – Please see sample below

   Email Hints:

   1. Find your MPP and their email address here… http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_current.do?locale=en
   2. Modify the email to make it your own message- it means more if it comes from you.
   3. Prove that you live within the electoral district. If you do not provide an address your email is assumed to not originate from a voter.
   4. Copy your email to Premier, Hon. Dalton McGuinty (dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org) and the Minister of Education, Hon. Laurel Broten (lbroten.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org)

   SAMPLE Email – please modify

   Dear (Name of Your MPP),

   I am a voter living at [provide address] and I am writing to you to express my concern over the Anti-Bullying Legislation, Bill 13. As a citizen of this province I support legislation that prevents bullying of all people. However the Premier of this province is using this legislation to promote one group over another – the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered communities. As such, the legislation is biased. Further the legislation mandates organizations, including religious groups, that rent space from a school board, must adopt the "standards of the school board". This legislation goes far beyond respect for others, it is legislating what people must believe. I agree with Christina Blizzard when she stated, "As it is, the new law has been hijacked by special interests who are more concerned about getting gay/straight alliances in schools than they are in dealing with bullying." This is a form of social re-engineering.

   Regards,
   [Full Name]

3. Sign the Petition at www.stopcorruptingchildren.com
4. Send this on to anyone you know that would be concerned.

Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.

Sincerely,

Phil Lees
Director, PEACE

References:

The Legislation: Bill 13, 2011, An Act to amend the Education Act with respect to bullying and other matters http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&Intranet=&BillID=2549

Other articles related to this issue

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Religious+groups+oppose+required+straight+alliances+schools/5821928/story.html#ixzz1gQfURUoQ
http://www.torontosun.com/2011/12/12/grits-miss-the-point-on-bullying

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Liberals Make it Very Clear Bill 13 is Legislation to Support the LGBT Community Only

Here is the video link to the message from Premier McGuinty on the Liberal Party of Ontario’s website, regarding the Accepting Schools Act.
http://www.ontarioliberal.ca/NewsBlog/NewsDetails.aspx?id=Safer+Schools

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Bill 13, and Bullies

Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament, Randy Hillier Takes a Positive Stand on Bill 13

With the recent introduction of Bill 13 (the anti-bullying bill) in the Legislature, I have been contacted by thousands of people by email and phone who have significant concerns with this legislation.

Like you, I have grave concerns with this bill, so I crafted an Op-Ed expressing my views on Bill 13 which was published today (January 4th) in the Ottawa Citizen.

I invite you to take part in the discussion.

You can:
Read and comment on my Op-Ed here
Take part in my online poll here

Thank you,
Randy Hillier MPP
Perth, Ontario
613-267-8239
randyhilliermpp.com

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Bringing Balance to Bullying

Who was your bully? Do you still remember his (or her) name? Do you still have stinging memories of bloody noses, hurtful words, stolen lunches, or even worse humiliations? Rare is the person who has not been on the painful end of a school bully. According to a recent report from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, approximately 1 in 3 students in Ontario report being bullied at school [CAMH. The Mental Health and Well-Being of Ontario Students. 2010. www.camh.net. p.81] The National Education Association estimates that "160,000 children miss school everyday due to the fear of bullying by other students" [http://www.corporatesponsorship.info/corporate-sponsorship-bullying_026.htm] These statistics only reinforce what we already know: bullying is a major concern for our children and schools.

But it's not new. It's been around as long as people have trod this planet. And, to quote the recent op-ed put forth by MPP Randy Hillier, "the only trigger needed for a bully is a difference [emphasis mine]" [Sticks and Stones- Bill 13 Anti-Bullying Legislation. Jan. 4, 2012. http://www.randyhilliermpp.com/ontariocanleadagain/postings/commentary/1131-sticks-and-stones-bill-13-anti-bullying-legislation]. Kids get picked on for many reasons. And only two factors need to be in place for it to manifest: a difference, and, as Bill 13 rightly identifies, a power imbalance. It’s no accident that your bully was likely bigger than you. That’s a power imbalance. It’s no accident that your tormentors likely outnumbered you 4:1. That’s a power imbalance. Were you the only one with red hair? Was your skin colour different than theirs? Did you live in another neighbourhood? All it takes is difference. So how did we adults, and particularly Liberal legislators, begin interpreting bullying so selectively?

The Accepting Schools Act has been widely criticized, and accurately so, for favouring certain student groups, placing particular emphasis on the needs of the LBGT community. In the video shown on the Liberal Party website related to Bill 13, Premier McGuinty makes mention of only one reason for which students are being bullied or feeling alone: because they’re gay. That’s exclusionary. And interestingly enough, a recent article- from a source highly influential on this issue- has called it out.

On Saturday, Allan Hubley had an article published in the Ottawa Citizen. He is the father of Jamie Hubley- the openly gay Ottawa-area teenager who tragically took his own life late last year, partly because of bullying. He states, "This is one issue where partisan politics and special interest agendas should not get in the way of the ultimate goal: protecting kids from bullying". And he emphasizes that "the focus must remain on protecting all kids, as soon as possible [emphasis mine]". [http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/op-ed/Teens+clubs+need+politicians+labels/5960288/story.html]

A lot of students do not all fall under the narrow categories outlined by Bill 13. As Mr. Hubley shares in his article, even his son Jamie "...talked about tall, short, thin, fat, and kids with freckles who would benefit from a safe place to be..." FCP agrees that any anti-bullying legislation should be balanced and not exclusive to a few groups.

Last week, we hosted a meeting with concerned organizational leaders and legal counsel to develop a strategy that will promote balance in the legislation. We know that policy alone will not solve the problem of bullying, but if and when policy is put forth, it should support and protect all students: period.

Eric Ames, Communications Director