Classroom talk on sex, religion not yet subject to new law
Last Updated: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 | 1:46 PM MT
CBC News
A controversial bill that allows Alberta parents to pull their children out of class during planned discussions on religion, sexuality and sexual orientation won't officially become law before school resumes.
Bill 44 generated hours of debate in and outside of the legislature, but easily passed through a third reading in June.
Culture Minister Lindsay Blackett said it won't be proclaimed law until October or November due to continuing discussions with school officials about how the rules will be implemented in the classroom.
The Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission is also undergoing changes, he said.
"We're looking at overall governance of the commission and we're also looking at training of staff within the commission. So a lot of those things have to happen and we'd like to get them all tidied up before we actually proclaim the bill into law."
A clause in the bill, which is an amendment to the province's human rights legislation, requires that school boards give parents written notice when sex, religion or sexual orientation are going to be covered in the curriculum. Parents can then ask for their child to be excluded from the discussion.
There will be no restrictions placed on casual classroom discussions that might arise about the topics.
The buried clause had drawn objections from teachers, schools boards and human rights groups, who argued Bill 44 would makes it possible for parents to file human rights complaints against teachers and school districts, creating a chill regarding what is taught in the classroom.
