Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Education Minister Liz Sandals lied to the public when they maintained that former Deputy Minister of Education and convicted child predator, Benjamin Levin, was not involved in developing the controversial sex education curriculum. On the contrary, he was responsible for the version published in 2010 which was not substantially modified in the 2015 version.
This is made clear by the following:
In a 2009 newsletter, as deputy minister, Levin said he was “responsible for ... everything that they do” and to “implement” the “new” approach.
On March 6, 2009, Levin wrote and signed a memo that put himself in charge of Ontario’s school curriculum. He stated, “I am writing to provide an update on our sector’s agenda ... I will be filling the ADM (assistant deputy minister) position previously held by George Zegarac ... The division formerly headed by George Zegarac will be renamed as ‘Learning and Curriculum.’ It will have responsibility for curriculum and for Special Education including Provincial Schools.”
On April 6, 2009, Levin penned a memo saying, “Today, the ministry released its new equity and inclusive education strategy paper ... This province wide strategy has been a priority for our Minister of Education Kathleen Wynne and me.”
On June 24, 2009, Levin wrote that the “Realizing the Promise of Diversity: Ontario’s Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy” sets out a “vision for an equitable and inclusive education system.” He wrote “the principles of equity and inclusive education should be embedded into all aspects of board and high school operations including program, employment, research, curriculum, resources, instructional and assessment practices.”
In an interview published in the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education’s (OISE) winter 2009 newsletter, Levin said: “I was the deputy minister of education. In that role, I was the chief civil servant. I was responsible for the operation of the Ministry of Education and everything that they do; I was brought in to implement the new education policy.”
These memos end the confusion as to just what his involvement was in the curriculum. He was in charge of it.
It is alarming that Levin would use his position as Deputy Minister to manage a program to desensitise and groom children about age-inappropriate matters, such as masturbation, the use of pornography to stimulate erotic feelings and to teach that anal sex and oral sex are healthy alternatives to vaginal intercourse. It appears reasonable to assume that Mr. Levin’s influence in the development of the sex education curriculum was motivated by his own perverse attraction to children.
According to Dr. Robert McDonald, a retired psychotherapist and medical doctor, “Any action which sexualizes a child before he or she is ready is sexual abuse. Therefore, so-called sex-ed for children before puberty is an act of sexual abuse.”
Wynne and Sandals maintain they will not accept any changes to the 2015 sex-ed program. This dictatorial position is appalling. We live in a democracy not a totalitarian state.
Unfortunately, it is our Ontario children who will be the helpless victims of this sex education program imposed by these politicians.
Gwendolyn Landolt, Vice President of REAL Women of Canada states, “Wynne and Sandals seem to believe that all they have to do is shout ‘homophobe’ at those who object to the curriculum, and this will erase any problems with it, as well as erase any other problems from the long list of improper activities carried on by this government. The latter cannot be believed or trusted.”
This curriculum is not acceptable and should be withdrawn so that it can be properly reviewed and allow parents opportunity to be consulted on its contents.
C. Gwendolyn Landolt
National Vice-President REAL Women of Canada
email: realwcto@realwomenofcanada.carealwomenofcanada.caDiane Watts
Researcher, REAL Women of Canada
email: realwcna@rogers.com
