Regina sexual assault centre blocked from delivering prevention message to classrooms

The director of a Regina non-profit that works to prevent sexual assault says the organization is now effectively barred from delivering its programming in schools.

On Tuesday, education minister Dustin Duncan announced Saskatchewan will require schools to share sexual health education materials with parents and caregivers. Under the new rules, parents and caregivers can opt their children out of sex-ed. Additionally, Duncan said there would be a pause on presentations by third-party groups in schools related to sexual health.

“I was just shocked and then immediately pretty sad,” said Lisa Miller, executive director for Regina and Area Sexual Assault Centre (RSAC) on her initial reaction to the announcement.

Miller said although there is uncertainty about whether the centre falls under the ban, the organization won’t be invited back to school in the fall until school boards have a better idea of what the ban entails.

“For the younger kids, everything we talk about is very safe and age-appropriate. We discuss what boundaries look like, about their right to say no to things that are uncomfortable for them or they’re not certain about, about who the safe adults are in their life,” she said.

“For the older ones, we talk about relationships, we talk about what consent looks like … we talk about sexting, which is very common in teenagers, and the risks with that. That’s the spectrum there, including the topic of abuse that people experience.”

Miller said she has received positive feedback from teachers who are not comfortable or well-equipped to have those conversations with students.

“Students pick up on that when teachers are not comfortable and that prevents some healthy conversations about stuff,” she explained.

“They really value us coming in and having these conversations with their students because we have the tools and we have the expertise to talk about it.”

According to data provided by RASC, Saskatchewan’s rate of sexual assault is one of the highest in the country, 104 sexual assaults per 100,000 people.

“This is stuff that people don’t necessarily hear at home. There’s a lot of parents that are not necessarily that comfortable talking to their kids about this,” she said. “It needs to be talked about because arming kids with information is the best prevention, research shows that.”

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Going forward, Miller said she hopes the government reevaluates the new policies.

“I hope that there’s enough voices raised that the minister hears educators that are telling him that this information is important and that trusted partners like RSAC are important to have in the classroom,” she said.

“Our fear is that this is an opportunity for some folks to potentially say no to any third party people that are doing classroom talks about things related to relationships,” she said.

“I hope that there’s enough voices raised that the minister hears educators that are telling him that this information is important and that trusted partners like RSAC are important to have in the classroom."

In an emailed statement, the Ministry of Education said "these changes were made following a review of sexual health materials and policies across all Saskatchewan school divisions."

The ministry said there were no changes made to the curriculum as a result of the new parental inclusions and consent policy.

“Sexual assault prevention education will continue to be taught by teachers as part of the curriculum,” the statement read.

The province's new policy direction comes after the upstart Saskatchewan United Party posted a strong byelection performance in the constituency of Lumsden-Morse, where a controversy erupted earlier this year after a Planned Parenthood sexual health resource was provided to Grade 9 students.

On Tuesday, Duncan also announced students under 16 will need parental consent if they wish to use different names or pronouns at school.