Montreal Catholic archdiocese promotes alternative Quebec sex-ed course

Jan 10, 2019 | 2:04 PM

Montreal’s Catholic archdiocese is promoting a proposal that parents opposed to the province’s new sexual education curriculum can teach the subject themselves using an alternative course co-authored by one of its priests.

Quebec’s education minister, Jean-Francois Roberge, quickly shot down the idea on Twitter with a reminder that the sex-ed curriculum is mandatory in all but a few circumstances.

A news release distributed by the archdiocese this week suggests parents can reach an agreement with their children’s teachers to teach the subject at home from a manual produced by Rev. Robert Gendreau, director of liturgy services at the archdiocese, and Raouf Ayas.

But Roberge described the subject matter as essential learning and said exemptions would only be granted for very specific reasons, such as a past trauma.

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The archdiocese stated in a second message that it was not involved in producing or distributing the course.

The alternative manual, which is for sale on Amazon, claims to respect the Education Department’s directives while guiding parents on how to present the material in accordance with Catholic values.

The Canadian Press