Alberta schools must teach kids about dangers of watching online porn, trustees say

As the province embarks on a major overhaul of theK-12curriculum, Alberta school boards want to make sure that avery sensitive topic doesn't get overlooked.

And that's porn.

This week, 85 per cent of school trustees voted in favour of teaching kids about harmful effects of watching inappropriate, sexual content online.

"We've seen considerable studies and data and information and science and research come out about the dangers of pornography on developing young minds," John Tomkinson, the trustee who put forth the motion, told the Calgary Eyeopeneron Thursday.

"It has correlations with increased violence against women, child sexual abuse and ramifications for child and adolescent sexual development."

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This fall, Alberta Education began developing new curriculum across all grades and subject areas. The process will take six years and $64 million to complete.

Tomkinson, who is also the vice-chair of the St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic School Board, suspects the topic could be incorporated into sex-ed or social studies classes. But ultimately, it would be up to the province's curriculum developers to iron out those details and the appropriate age to introduce the issue to students.

Should Alberta Education move forward with the school trustees' recommendation, Tomkinson said it's not a licence for parents to avoid talking to their kids about the "harms" of pornography.

"From our perspective, we do believe and support that the parent is the primary educator. So our systems and our schools are designed to support the facilitation of carrying on those messages."

While school trustees will continue to lobby the province on this issue, Tomkinsonsuspectsmore input from educators and the public will be needed before a decision is made.

With files from the Calgary Eyeopener