8/8/2019 Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario to all Ontario Catholic School Boards

1/110 St. MARY STREET, SUITE 800, TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, M4Y 1P9 TEL. (416) 923-1423 FAX (416) 923-1509

ASSEMBLY OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLE DES VQUES CATHOLIQUES DE LONTARIO

January 19, 2010

To: Kevin Kobus, Senior Policy Advisor, OCSTA

Directors of Education, Ontario Catholic School Boards

cc: Sr. Joan Cronin, Executive Director, Institute for Catholic Education

Re: Ministry of Education Policy/Program Memorandum No. 145

Progressive Discipline and Promoting Positive Student Behaviour

The purpose of this communication is to bring to your attention certain matters of concern related to

provisions of the Ministry of Educations Policy/Program Memorandum No.145. The bishops of the

Education Commission of the ACBO have recently been apprised of policy directives related to PPM 145

that could have an impact on our Catholic schools and the care they provide to students of same-sex

orientation.

Of particular concern are three areas of the PPM. I would like to share with you some thoughts

concerning each of these three areas.

The first relates to supporting students in student-led activities promoting understanding and development

of healthy relationships. Were it not for the fact that the PPM specifically names gay-straight alliances

among these activities to be supported, the bishops would be in complete agreement with this principle.However, gay-straight alliances imply a self-identification with sexual orientation that is often

premature among high school students. Because of this, the bishops feel that such an activity is not to be

encouraged. Other types of dialogue groups that could achieve the same objectives should rather be

encouraged.

The second area of concern relates to outside professional supports, among which the PPM identifies

public health units, community agencies, [and] Help Phone lines. The bishops feel it would be

important for Catholic schools to identify and collaborate with those agencies that reflect or, at least,respect Catholic moral values. School boards would have to identify which such agencies exist in their

area and make them known to their school principals and those employees who work directly with

students and are expected to support them.

The third area of concern relates to a specific obligation: to ensure that all publicly funded schools

provide access to public health units to deliver their mandated public health curriculum. It would be

important to specify that health units are to deliver their curriculum in accordance with Catholic moral

principles and under the supervision of qualified Catholic school board personnel.

In all these areas, our denominational rights as Catholic schools with a specific mandate must berespected. We trust that the Catholic Consortium and the Equity and Inclusion Policy Task Force willtake into careful account the above-noted concerns and address them accordingly in their policydevelopment undertakings. We would appreciate a response to these concerns and offer our collaboration

on your collective efforts.

With many thanks for the work you do, and with prayers for continued success in your projects,

Yours in Christ,

Most Rev. Paul-Andre Durocher

Chair, Education Commission