From: pierrebarns@gmail.com <pierrebarns@gmail.com>
Sent: June 8, 2022 8:31 AM
To: scott_piatkowski@wrdsb.ca; Kathleen_Woodcock@wrdsb.ca; jayne_herring@wrdsb.ca; karen_meissner@wrdsb.ca; Carol_Millar@wrdsb.ca; mike_ramsay@wrdsb.ca; kathi_smith@wrdsb.ca; laurie_tremble@wrdsb.ca; Cindy_Watson@wrdsb.ca; joanne_weston@wrdsb.ca; crystal_whetham@wrdsb.ca
Cc: *****
Subject: Ontario Waterloo Region School District - Books Concerns

Dear Trustees,

I have reason to believe that children or youth have been or could be likely abused or neglected based on what I have seen and information I have found on your library site (https://wrdsb.insigniails.com/library/Home); I am concerned about the safety and well-being of those under your authority about a serious matter that is happening within your school district. As a Canadian citizen, I have a duty to report the following concerns.

Children ages from 5 years old up to 17 years old at the schools mentioned below have been or are at risk of being exposed to books containing sexual references, sexual activity, sexual material, and books showing a person who is engaged in or is depicted as engaged in explicit sexual activity. The main characteristics of those books relate to sexual activity and expose children to individuals engaging in sexually explicit acts, including exposure to adult pornography, and encouraging children to masturbate or watch others masturbate.

It is important to know that we do not have to prove that a child has been abused in order to report abuse. If we observe or hear about concerning behavior or an inappropriate situation between an adult and a child within an organization, such as a school, daycare, or sports program, and as mentioned above due to mandatory laws in most provinces in Canada we must report our concern to the organization.

According to the Canadian Center for Child Protection, a non-contact sexual abuse is as follows:

• Encouraging a child to masturbate or watch others masturbate
• Secretly recording or observing a child in a private situation for a sexual purpose (voyeurism)
• Exposing a child to individuals engaging in sexually explicit acts (including exposure to adult pornography)
• Exposing a child to child sexual abuse material
• “Flashing” or exposing genitals to a child
• Communicating over technology to make it easier to commit a specific sexual offense against a child (luring a child)
• Taking a picture or recording a video of a child’s sexual organs for a sexual purpose

Child Sexual Abuse by K-12 School Personnel in Canada https://www.protectchildren.ca/en/resources-research/child-sexual-abuse-by-school-personnel-in-canada-report/

“You must report child abuse and neglect. Everyone in Ontario, including members of the public and professionals who work closely with children, is required by law to report suspected child abuse or neglect.”

https://www.ontario.ca/page/report-child-abuse-and-neglect#section-0

I understand that resources are to be inclusive and suitable based on diverse social considerations. Nevertheless, resources are to be ages appropriate, and within the boundary of the rules of law. In good faith, I would advise the School Board to remove those books from the library, contact the librarian, review those books with teachers and parents, and make sure that all book selection policy has been followed. Please advise on how the board will proceed.

Hope the following information will help you better understand the concern mentioned above. If you need more information regarding those books, please do not hesitate to ask.

Kind Regards,

Pierre Barns

236-458-7269

Canadian Trustees raising their concern about the contents of the book in school:

https://www.facebook.com/LauraLynnTylerThompson/videos/814081779570576

Here is a video of a Mother in the USA complaining to the school board about the book The Glass Castle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgRsqrMC4Lk

Here are some screenshots of the book It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie h. Harris and Michael Emberly are available at the following schools:

Library link: https://wrdsb.insigniails.com/library/ItemDetail?l=All&i=92435&ti=0

Here are some screenshots of the book Sex is a Funny Word by Cory Silverberg available at the following Schools:

Library link: https://wrdsb.insigniails.com/library/ItemDetail?l=All&i=482115&ti=0

Here are some screenshots of the book Gender Queer by Kobabe Mais available at the following Schools:

Library link: https://wrdsb.insigniails.com/library/ItemDetail?l=All&i=601361&ti=0

Here are some screenshots of the book All Boys aren't Blue a memoir-manifesto by George M Johnson available at the following School:

Library link: https://wrdsb.insigniails.com/library/ItemDetail?l=All&i=604971&ti=0 and https://wrdsb.insigniails.com/library/ItemDetail?l=All&i=612319&ti=0

 Here are some screenshots of the book a Quick and Easy Guide to Queer and Trans Identities by Mady G & R and JR Zucherberg available at the following School:

Library link: https://wrdsb.insigniails.com/library/ItemDetail?l=All&i=605070&ti=0

 Here are some screenshots of the book Rick available at the following Schools:

Library link: https://wrdsb.insigniails.com/library/ItemDetail?l=All&i=605133&ti=0

 Here are some screenshots of the book The Other Boy available at the following Schools:

Library link: https://wrdsb.insigniails.com/library/ItemDetail?l=All&i=600350&ti=0

Here are some screenshots of the book The Hate U Give Me available at the following Schools:

Library link: https://wrdsb.insigniails.com/library/ItemDetail?l=All&i=541830&ti=0

• 

Here are some screenshots of the book The Glass Castle available at the following Schools:

Library link: https://wrdsb.insigniails.com/library/ItemDetail?l=All&i=151604&ti=0

• 

Here are some screenshots of the book Fun Home by Alison Bechdel available at the following Schools:

Library link: https://wrdsb.insigniails.com/library/ItemDetail?l=All&i=53469&ti=0

From: pierrebarns@gmail.com <pierrebarns@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2023 8:32 AM
To: joanne_weston@wrdsb.ca; Kathleen_Woodcock@wrdsb.ca; bill_cody@wrdsb.ca; carla_johnson@wrdsb.ca; fred_meissner@wrdsb.ca; scott_piatkowski@wrdsb.ca; maedith_radlein@wrdsb.ca; mike_ramsay@wrdsb.ca; marie_snyder@wrdsb.ca; meena_waseem@wrdsb.ca; Cindy_Watson@wrdsb.ca
Cc: *****
Subject: Waterloo School District June 2022 email follow-up

Dear Respected Trustees of Waterloo.

In June of 2022, I sent a letter to the Waterloo School District informing them of sexually explicit material made available to children in their schools. Following last week’s "Open Letter in Response to WRDSB Parent Concerns," I was disturbed to learn that the previous Waterloo School Board had made no effort to inform parents about controversial topics being taught to our children, such as gender expression, sexual identities, and the use of history as a battleground between different races. Despite the good intentions of the discussion, open communication with parents was not a priority for the board, as evidenced by the lack of updates, emails, and meetings. Furthermore, the board minimized and trivialized parents who were concerned about child abuse. Parents have a fundamental right to express their concerns and to be respected. Schools should not be at odds with parents and the broader community.

Board members are touching on several contentious ideas that can be subject to misinterpretation depending on how they are framed. Knowing whether students walk away with a healthy understanding of the world around them is made even more difficult when parents are not informed. School board transparency is essential for parents who play the central role in the way our children view themselves. Board members should encourage students to strive for excellence, be resilient in the face of adversity, and be independent thinkers. They should teach students the diversity of thought and respect dissenting views. Board members should also be mindful of students’ personal boundaries and stop subjecting them to woke conversations in a classroom full of their peers. They should empower students rather than instruct them to scan for oppression and microaggressions constantly. The trend in teaching Critical Pedagogy, with its emphasis on bringing politics into the classroom, deprives students of a balanced education, free of bias, and the ability to analyze all available evidence to develop informed judgments.

Board members should treat students equitably with acceptance, dignity, and respect. They should not abuse or exploit students’ for personal, sexual, ideological, material, or other advantages. The proponents of inappropriate content, who hide behind the theory of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DIE), commit a form of child abuse, a phenomenon that threatens the safety and well-being of our children across Canada.

It is the moral and legal responsibility of teachers and trustees to ensure the safety and well-being of the children in their care. As educators and caretakers, they have a unique role in observing and identifying potential abuse or neglect, and it is their duty to report such incidents. This is a serious responsibility that should not be taken lightly.

According to the Canadian Centre for Child Protection report on Child Sexual Abuse by K-12 School Personnel in Canada, 67% of offenders worked in public schools, 26% in Catholic/Christian schools, and 7% in private schools.

Child Sexual Abuse by K-12 School Personnel in Canada 1997-2017:

https://www.protectchildren.ca/en/resources-research/child-sexual-abuse-by-school-personnel-in-canada-report/

Child Sexual Abuse and Victimization by K-12 School Personnel in Canada 2017-2021:

https://www.protectchildren.ca/en/resources-research/school-report/

Child sexual abuse is an epidemic that impacts far too many families and communities. Together parents, teachers, and community members can make a difference, which is why it is imperative that we make it safe to discuss this topic openly and frankly.

According to the Canadian Center for Child Protection, non-contact sexual abuse is as follows:

•             Encouraging a child to masturbate or watch others masturbate

•             Secretly recording or observing a child in a private situation for a sexual purpose (voyeurism)

•             Exposing a child to individuals engaging in sexually explicit acts (including exposure to adult pornography)

•             Exposing a child to child sexual abuse material

•             "Flashing" or exposing genitals to a child

•             Communicating over technology to make it easier to commit a specific sexual offense against a child (luring a child)

•             Taking a picture or recording a video of a child's sexual organs for a sexual purpose

Operated by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, ProtectKidsOnline.ca state that exposure to sexually explicit material may:

•             Prematurely sexualize a child.

•             Incite a child to experiment with sexually explicit behaviour to make sense of it.

•             Lead a child to normalize and become desensitized to high risk behaviour.

•             Shape a child's expectations in relationships.

•             Shape a child's expectations of physical appearances and certain sexual acts.

•             Blur boundaries and increase a child's risk of victimization.

•             Increase a child's health risks (i.e. sexually transmitted infections, sexual exploitation, etc.).

•             Increase a child's risk of problematic sexual behaviour against other children in an effort to experiment.

•             Interfere with a child's healthy sexual development.

It also states the following:

•             Pornography is not reality. It creates confusing expectations, attitudes and beliefs about what to expect in a healthy sexual interaction.

•             Pornography makes sexual violence seem okay, that being aggressive will get you what you want and that "no" means "yes."

•             Pornography reinforces gender stereotypes such as guys call all the shots and girls are meant to be used for a sexual purpose.

•             It portrays people as objects; a thing to be used and not as a person.

Pornography is often thought of as pictures or videos of nudity or sexual acts. Depicting those sexual acts in animated content and literature is also pornography. That happens whether it is a graphic video or an explicit passage in a book.

I would appreciate a response to this email so that I have a clear understanding of your position and plans to address my concerns. I want to thank you in advance for your time and attention to these important matters.

To those cc’d on this email. I wanted to bring to your attention this important issue that has been affecting our schools for far too long. I believe it is imperative that we bring this matter to the attention of the wider community, and I encourage each and every one of you to share this email with your network. By spreading the word, we can work together to raise awareness and find a solution to this pressing issue. Your help in spreading the information is essential.

Kind Regards,

Pierre Barns

236-458-7269

Here is an educational video I believe all of you should watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4Ui9zP7ai0

Important Documents:

List of books in the Waterloo School District:

https://filedn.com/lgTpJ6UwDlozicSrlAR74iS/waterloo-school-district-books-list.pdf

Cases of teacher misconduct related to inappropriate material shown to children:

https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=kZwrvWVZRxuamYLAPlJwCqN9kh4RDRSya0GV

Sexual misconduct cases vs inappropriate material example:

https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZGrvWVZPbwcF2SowGbWPBAngM53xjBKx2nX

SOGI policy vs reality:

https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZirvWVZKzw54CWKHJfoRnEeLKTHEXIgOrEX

SOGI medical abuse:

https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZcrvWVZLhumsoUkhs85g6fW3mzAMucaQD1y

Archives – Abuse Lawsuits:

https://sogi123taskforce.com/archives-abuse-lawsuits/

Impact of Viewing Sexually Explicit Material:

https://www.kidsintheknow.ca/pdfs/KIK_ImpactOfViewing_en.pdf

Pornographic content can harm children:

https://www.unicef.org/harmful-content-online#:~:text=Exposure%20to%20pornography%20at%20a,behaviour%20as%20normal%20and%20acceptable

Exposure to Sexually Explicit Material Consequences:

https://protectkidsonline.ca/app/en/info_exposure

References:

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/public-safety/protecting-children/t15-0191_dutytoreport_pamphlet11x85in2folds.pdf

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/public-safety/protecting-children/reporting-child-abuse

https://lss.abbyschools.ca/sites/default/files/Duty%20to%20report_0.pdf

https://oct.ca/resources/advisories/duty-to-report?sc_lang=en&

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/kindergarten-to-grade-12/teach/teacher-regulation/standards-for-educators/duty_to_report_handbook.pdf

https://www.alberta.ca/what-is-child-abuse-neglect-and-sexual-exploitation.aspx

https://justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/cj-jp/fv-vf/caw-mei/p12.html

EMAIL SEND TO THE WATERLOO SCHOOL DISTRICT – JUNE 2022 – Sent with this Email

From: Cindy Watson <cindy_watson@wrdsb.ca>
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2023 9:37 AM
To: pierrebarns@gmail.com
Cc: joanne_weston@wrdsb.ca; Kathleen_Woodcock@wrdsb.ca; bill_cody@wrdsb.ca; carla_johnson@wrdsb.ca; fred_meissner@wrdsb.ca; scott_piatkowski@wrdsb.ca; maedith_radlein@wrdsb.ca; mike_ramsay@wrdsb.ca; marie_snyder@wrdsb.ca; meena_waseem@wrdsb.ca
Subject: Waterloo School District June 2022 email follow-up

Pierre,

Thank you for sharing your concerns.

Would you like me to forward your email to the appropriate staff?

Here are a couple of motions I served during the last board with trustee Ramsays support, however they did not pass.

Whereas trustees have received many concerns from the public about age appropriateness concerning sexual health library resources for K-6 children in school libraries,

Whereas there is an appearance of an age discrepancy between the Ministry of Education Curriculum guidelines, Human Development and Sexual Health education guidelines and K-6 guidelines library resources that would further support K-6 students,

Therefore be it resolved that the Waterloo Region District School Board direct staff to present a detailed written report to the Board of Trustees by the end of March 2022, concerning the age discrepancy between the Ministry of Education Curriculum guidelines, Human Development and Sexual Health and the library resources that would further support K-6 students in WRDSB school libraries and strategies that would ensure that we are in compliance with Ministry curriculum guideline expectations.

Here is another, 

Therefore be it resolved that a written report be presented at a regular committee of the whole outlining the criteria, framework and the process for the 2-3 year library and classroom library review by the end of January 2022,

And that a consultation process be developed that would include students, staff , parents and community members participation in the library and classroom library review,

And that the Waterloo Region District School Board develop a “Library Resource Review” policy that would include criteria, framework, process and a consultation process for students, parents, staff and community members.

Feel free to contact me at 5195030927 anytime.

Thanks,

Cindy

Sent from my iPhone

From: pierrebarns@gmail.com <pierrebarns@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2023 6:53 PM
To: 'Cindy Watson' <cindy_watson@wrdsb.ca>
Cc: joanne_weston@wrdsb.ca; Kathleen_Woodcock@wrdsb.ca; bill_cody@wrdsb.ca; carla_johnson@wrdsb.ca; fred_meissner@wrdsb.ca; scott_piatkowski@wrdsb.ca; maedith_radlein@wrdsb.ca; mike_ramsay@wrdsb.ca; marie_snyder@wrdsb.ca; meena_waseem@wrdsb.ca
Subject: RE: Waterloo School District June 2022 email follow-up

Cindy,

Thank you for your prompt reply and for offering to forward my email. I would appreciate it if you could forward it to the relevant staff members, including the police department.

My concerns are related to the inappropriate display of explicit material, particularly in the context of schools where children are present. For example, I have come across instances where the book "The Bluest Eye" is being made available to children and it contains graphic and mature themes that may not be suitable for minors, including sexual violence, child abuse, and other forms of abuse. These themes can be triggering for individuals who have experienced similar trauma and reading about them can evoke strong emotions and memories.

Given the dangers of exposing children to such explicit material, I believe it is important for the police to be made aware of this issue and to take appropriate action. Their expertise and resources would be invaluable in ensuring the safety and well-being of the children in our schools.

Please also note that it is important to be mindful of the impact that such material can have on mental health and to review it with caution, especially if any members of the board have been personally affected by sexual violence or abuse.

I appreciate your help and support in this matter, and I look forward to the swift resolution of this pressing issue.

Kind Regard,

Pierre Barns

236-458-7269