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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2001-02-21, Page 7DID YOU KNOW we think retirement should be fu n • At Clinton Community Credit Union, we have trained investment professionals to help you save money for your future. Personal attention to your hopes and dreams, investment options like GICs and mutual funds, make us an option that saves you money. Visit us to discuss how we can help you reach your financial goals. 48 Ontario St. Clinton Tel. (519) 482-3466 Mon. -Thurs. 9am - 5pm Fri. 9am - Bpm 118 Main St N.. Exeter Tel. (519) 235-0640 Mon. - Thurs. 9am - 5pm Fri. 9am - 8pm 165 Main St W. Dashwood Tel. (519) 237-37, 7 Tues. 10am - 3pm Fri. 2pm - 7pm Clinton Community Credit Union Limited IOW A different way of banking.'" THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2001. PAGE 7. Board counters parents' arguments against sex ed By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen In a report that makes reference to a sizable collection of recent studies about health education, staff of the Avon Maitland District School Board and the District Health Units in Huron and Perth Counties have countered the arguments of a con- cerned Stratford parent and her sup- porters. And if any indication can be taken from the response by board trustees to the report, delivered at a regular board meeting Tuesday, Feb. 13, it's that there will be no action taken regarding Lisa Hackner's challenge of the way the "safe sex" message is delivered to some students at Stratford Northwestern, Secondary School. Hackner appeared before the board at a previous meeting, Jan. 23. She cited studies showing premarital sex erodes self-esteem-among teenagers, and made reference to a book enti- tled Living and Dying the Lie. She was assisted in her delegation by Bruce Long, a former physical education teacher who pointed to the absence of the teaching method used at Northwestern, which involves a demonstration of condom use, from both the provincial high school cur- riculum and guidelines released by the Ontario Physical and Health Educators Association (OPHEA). Hackner called on the board to stop the demonstrations until trustees could receive full information about the teaching method. She also sug- gested sexual education programs should be dominated by the promo- tion of abstinence, and that students desiring safe-sex instruction could receive it directly from the health units. Instead, no action was taken while the report was being prepared. And, when the report was delivered by senior principal Marie Parsons, it was presented merely as "informa- tion" for trustees, meaning there were no recommendations included. The report counters several of the arguments put forward by Hackner and Long. "Research studies ... con- sistently find that providing contra- ceptive/condom education does not lead to earlier or more frequent sex- ual activity," it states at one point, citing nine different sources ranging from 1982 to 1998. It also challenges the effectiveness of an abstinence- dominated program, arguing, "absti- nence-only sex education programs are deficient because they do not provide students with the opportuni- ty to learn the necessary information and skills to reduce the risks of sex- ual activity if they choose to be sex- ually active now or in the future." Specific references to provincial and OPHEA guidelines challenge Long's assertions. And the report cites recent surveys showing Canada's young people most prefer to receive sex-related information at school, rather than through other sources. Trustees appeared supportive, with several speaking in praise of the peo- ple who had prepared the report. No motions for action were brought for- ward. More than one trustee also expressed satisfaction with Parson's explanation of the process by which students or parents can receive exemptions from such instruction. She said the process is described in student handbooks, and is similar to the process -used if parents or stu- dents are uncomfortable with certain selections on the reading list of an English course. "Parents and guardians have always had the option of applying for exemptions," Parsons said. "In this case, there would haVe to be an assignment given so that the student still completes that particular course expectation (required under the provincial curricultnia), but they would complete it in a diffeient man- ner." According to Parsons, decisions about specific methods for providing sexual education rest with officials ate each school. Of the board's 11 secondary schools, she added, just four provide condom demonstrations similar to those at Northwestern. Mitchell high school mascot faces uncertain future By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen The push to replace the almost 50- year-old "Blue Devil" mascot for Mitchell District High School (MDHS) has been put on hold, pend- ing provision of additional informa- tion to trustees of the Avon Maitland District School Board. As a result, there will also be a delay in action from the MDHS school council, which was to revisit the issue at its meeting Monday, Feb. 19. The move to change the mascot began Jan. 18 when the school coun- cil received a letter from board Superintendent of Education Geoff Williams. The letter said the mascot contravened the board's .newly- approved Antiracism and Ethnocultural Equity Policy, stating, "for religious reasons, the Blue Devil mascot offends a number of people in the Mitchell community." Early reports in The' Mitchell Advocate newspaper quoted principal Dave Hurley expressing surprise at the minimal opposition to the change. That didn't last long, however, pre- sumably as students found out about the developments ater the hectic January exam period. At the board's regular meeting Tuesday, Feb. 13, the visitors' gallery was occupied by sev- eral MDHS students and their sup- porters, and representative Paul Battin delivered an official delegation on their behalf. "Perhaps if the school voted on this issue, it would be fair," Battin said. "Poll the students. Poll the mem- bers of the community. Poll some- one." "You're not just taking away a mas- cot; you're taking away what brings us together, you're taking away a tra- dition." Battin, an MDHS student, explained the history of the Blue Devil mascot, which is currently por- trayed as an impish-looking cartoon figure on the school's uniforms and in other locations. He said the name originated during a 1954 football game against Central 'Huron high school, when the Clinton players were overheard saying the,victorious Mitchell team played like "devils." Battin also offered three defini- tions. He said MDHS's interpretation of the devil mascot has nothing to do with the religious connotations of the word, but rather relies on the word's use to describe "an energetic, mis- chievous, daring person." He also asked trustees to consider two other important words: democracy and oli- garchy, or rule by the few. Trustees agreed to include the issue in the new business portion of the meeting, and asked Williams to respond to Battin's delegation. Williams praised the student for accurately presenting the background and viewpoints surrounding the issue. But, ultimately, he defended his deci- sion to write the Jan. 18 letter to the school council. "The (Antiracism and Ethnocultural Equity) policy is designed to make sure the board doesn't contravene the Charter of Rights," Williams said. "More importantly, it's designed to make sure everyone feels welcome, no matter what background they come from." Williams told trustees the, issue is not new. He said he first became involved over a year ago when, fol- lowing a request for advice, he told the school council to postpone any action regarding the mascot until the Antiracism and Ethnocultural Equity Policy was approved in October, 2000. And he said former MDHS princi- pal Gwen Bestard once expressed the opinion that a number of students being home-schooled or attending religious-based private schools would have enrolled in the high school if the Blue Devil disappeared. Reports in The Mitchell Advocate show the school council also dis- cussed the issue in 1999. And a large painting of the mascot in the school's gymnasium is regularly covered by a drop cloth during official school assemblies and communityevents. The argument which convinced some trustees to seek further informa- tion, however, was Battin's assertion that the mascot change would con- sume significant funds. He suggested new sports uniforms would be neces- sary, as well as stationery if the school also changed its official colours. And the gymnasium mural would have to be painted over. Stratford trustee Rod Brown said he has no problem with the initiation of a process to change the mascot, but expressed concern about the cost. Mitchell-area representative Carol Bennewies also wondered where the money would come from. Listowel-area trustee Don Brillinger, however, said MDHS stu- dents should look at the potential name change as a challenge and an opportunity to have fun. "Make it .an exciting thing rather than looking at it as a negative," said Brillinger, who noted that it wasn't too many years ago that Listowel District High School changed the names of its teams from "Lords" and "Ladies" to "Lightning." "Let's have a contest to come up with new names for our teams and make it a fun thing." Williams made a commitment to provide further information on the issue at the board's next meeting. Tuesday, Feb. 27. School children get breakfast The school children of Huron-- and meal regularly and by Grade 12, Perth Counties have someone start- two-thirds of all students do not par- ing their day on a healthy track. take in breakfast regularly, several The Huron Perth Student Nutrition local agencies organized the pro- Partnership invites the public to gram. Upper Thames Elementary. School in The program provides breakfast at Mitchell, Feb. 26 to meet new pro- nine facilities with plans to expand to gram co-ordinator Laurel McIntosh 30 more in Huron and Perth Counties and learn about the Breakfast for over the next two years. Learning Program. Breakfast will be available at After a 1998-1999 survey showed Upper Thames Elementary School that one-in-five Grade 4 students from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. for all does not eat breakfast, 50 per cent of residents planning to attend the Grade 8 girls do not eat the morning event.