A Catholic elementary school in Woodstock, Ont. is under scrutiny after assigning their grade 8 students to make anti-abortion posters as part of a class assignment.
When Rachelle Lynn Dixon was told by her daughter that her teacher had assigned her class an anti-abortion-themed project she was shocked.
“On Wednesday, my daughter was coming in from recess and she saw the assignment on the board and she read it and became a little upset because of the signage,” Dixon said.
The chalkboard in her class at St. Patrick’s Catholic Elementary School stated what was needed for the assignment/contest, including paper, and themed pictures, and that students have to include the wording “unborn babies matter.”
“For them to be learning about it in this method is inappropriate,” Dixon said. “We should be learning about this matter from a whole perspective.”
Parents were not notified about this assignment which is only being worked on in the classroom.
As a Catholic family, Dixon said they are open-minded people and still believe in the right to choose.
She would like to see her 13-year-old daughter Kaydence be able to form her own opinion on the topic of abortion.
“We discussed it and decided and if this is something you’re passionate about, write a speech, take it into class and read it to your teacher, tell them why this project is not appropriate,” Dixon said.
Speaking as a proud mother, Dixon is hoping her daughter can read her speech, with her own opinions on the subject in class on Friday.
According to Dixon, the in-class assignment is also part of a contest being run by a local anti-abortion group, the oxford county right to life coalition which plans to award a student with prize money.
In an email to CTV News, Mary VanVeen, who runs the Oxford County Right to Life group stated that each year their art contest has a different theme. This year it is “Unborn Babies Matter.”
“It is important to us that the students think about how special they are and how every human being is unique,” said VanVeen. “We would like the students to know the scientific facts about human life, such as that life begins at conception. “
The contest offers a $50 prize.
Mark Adkinson, the communications and public relations manager for the London Catholic District School Board (LCDSB), said they would not provide an interview.
In a statement to CTV News, the LCDSB stated: “As part of the grade 8 religion curriculum, students are learning about the Catholic church’s view on the sanctity of life and will be given a poster assignment to complete on the topic,” said Adkinson .
“Students may choose to create a poster that would fit the criteria for both the assignment and the optional third-party poster contest.”
On Friday morning, Dixon, along with others protested the assignment and the nature in which this subject is being taught. Dixon said her principal told her that the project is not being pulled.
“The principal said that parents who enroll their children in Catholic school should know that this is what they’re going to be teaching and if you don’t agree you should pull your children.
Dixon plans to switch her children to public schools once the term is over. Since her daughter de ella is currently in grade 8, she only has one month left before she transitions to high school.