As Alberta schools open their doors this September, a critical new education policy stands to significantly reshape how students receive sexual health education. The YWCAs across Alberta have launched a coordinated awareness campaign to ensure parents understand the implications of the province’s new opt-in requirement for sexual health, human sexuality, and gender identity education.
The policy, which took effect this school year, reverses the traditional approach. Previously, students were automatically enrolled in these lessons unless parents specifically opted out. Now, schools must secure explicit parental consent before students can participate in these classroom discussions.
“This isn’t just about paperwork—it’s about ensuring young Albertans have access to vital information about their bodies and relationships,” says Shannon Phillips, CEO of YWCA Lethbridge. “We’re concerned that in the shuffle of back-to-school forms, parents might miss this critical document.”
The awareness campaign comes as many families navigate the usual September rush of permission slips, emergency contact updates, and various consent forms. The YWCA coalition fears the sexual education permission form might get overlooked amid this paperwork avalanche.
A recent survey conducted by the Alberta Teachers’ Association found that approximately 23% of parents were unaware of the policy change. This statistic particularly concerns advocates who work with vulnerable youth populations.
“For many students, school provides the only reliable source of accurate information about sexual health,” explains Dr. Kristopher Wells, Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth at MacEwan University. “When young people lack access to evidence-based education, they often turn to less reliable sources like social media or peers.”
The policy shift follows the United Conservative Party government’s election promise to give parents more control over their children’s education. Premier Danielle Smith has repeatedly emphasized parental rights as a cornerstone of her administration’s education approach.
“Parents are the primary educators of their children,” Smith stated during a July press conference. “These changes ensure Alberta families can make informed choices about when and how their children learn about sensitive topics.”
However, education experts like Sarah Hoffman, former Edmonton Public School Board trustee, worry about unintended consequences. “We’re creating a two-tier system where some students receive comprehensive education while others get none at all,” Hoffman notes. “Sexual health education isn’t about indoctrination—it’s about equipping young people with knowledge to make healthy decisions.”
The YWCA campaign includes information sessions at community centers, social media outreach, and partnerships with school parent councils. They’ve developed a straightforward guide explaining what sexual health education actually covers at different grade levels.
“There are misconceptions about what’s taught in these classes,” says Eliza Snyder, youth programs coordinator at YWCA Edmonton. “In elementary grades, it’s primarily about understanding boundaries, proper anatomical terms, and recognizing unsafe situations. As students get older, content expands to include topics like healthy relationships, consent, and preventing sexually transmitted infections.”
Medical professionals have also weighed in on the debate. The Alberta Medical Association released a statement supporting comprehensive sexual health education as a public health measure that helps reduce teen pregnancy rates and sexually transmitted infections.
The provincial health data seems to support this position. Areas with lower participation in sexual health education historically show higher rates of teen pregnancy and STIs, according to Alberta Health Services’ 2022 youth health report.
For families who may have misplaced or not received the consent forms, the YWCAs recommend contacting their children’s schools directly. Most institutions have made the forms available online and are accepting electronic signatures to streamline the process.
The YWCA coalition emphasizes that their campaign isn’t about challenging parental authority but ensuring decisions are made with full information. “We respect that families have diverse values,” Phillips adds. “We just want to make sure choices aren’t made by default because a form got lost in the shuffle.”
As the school year progresses, educators and health advocates will be closely monitoring participation rates in sexual health education. Some schools are planning follow-up communications with families who haven’t returned the forms to ensure the lack of response represents an intentional choice rather than an oversight.
The conversation about sexual health education in Alberta schools continues to evolve, balancing parental rights with public health considerations. For now, the YWCAs hope their reminder campaign will help families make informed decisions about their children’s education in this critical area.
