BASAC Executive Director Amber Stewart is calling on the Moe government to allow sexual assault centers in the province to resume their prevention education programs in schools in the province. (File photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Roger White

Province and BASAC at odds over outreach projects

Oct 17, 2023 | 12:00 PM

The Executive Director of the Battlefords & Area Sexual Assault Centre (BASAC) is calling on the provincial government to overturn a decision that halts organizations like theirs from entering any school in the province.

In August, the Ministry of Education announced a new Parental Inclusion and Consent Policy instructing School Boards to “immediately pause involvement with any third-party organization’ and stated that ‘only teachers, not outside third parties, will be able to present sexual health education materials in the classroom.”

“We (BASAC) are calling on the Provincial Government and the Minster of Education to allow sexual assault centers in the province to resume their prevention education programs in school divisions across the province,” Amber Stewart, told battlefordsNOW. “The safety and wellbeing of all children, youth, and future generations of adults is at stake, and we must act now.”

Stewart added that with little clarity and vague language in the policy, it has impacted organizations that do not deliver sexual health-specific information as well as all organizations that provide information on anything directly or indirectly related to sex or gender.

“While we at BASAC see the value in sexual health education being taught by experts in the field with fact-based information and provided in a safe environment at age-appropriate levels,” Stewart noted. “We do not believe that our organization should have been lumped into this category.”

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Stewart noted that for over 40 years BASAC has worked in the Battlefords & Area to raise awareness around sexualized violence and support survivors. She added that over the last number of years, they have maintained a strong focus on prevention education and establishing the organization as not only experts in the community but trusted adults to the students that are being seen in the schools.

She also said that during the 2022-2023 school year, sexual violence prevention education programs were delivered to 3,051 students in 14 different schools in The Battlefords & surrounding areas.

Stewart added that children and youth who have the tools to understand sexual abuse, consent, and body safety, lower the risk of those same children and youth becoming victims of abuse.

“We are committed to ensuring children and youth have access to accurate and age-appropriate abuse prevention information,” she stated. “We have always made sure our presentations are child-friendly and aligned with the Saskatchewan health curriculum, in addition, we ensure that parents are made aware that we are working in the classroom and provide contact information if they have any questions or concerns and encourage them to reach out to us.”

Stewart said that since the announcement of the policy on Aug. 22, many teachers, and parents in The Battlefords have reached out to BASAC expressing their concerns and questions as to why the organization will not be permitted to continue these programs.

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roger.white@pattisonmedia.com