Back in 1982, Cialdini wrote, "Something special happens when people personally put their commitments on paper: they live up to what they have written down." That's why change guru Tony Robbins recommends that people commit their goals to paper. And that is why it would be worth your time to write down your resolutions for change, and to sign the page.

I propose that the Alberta, B.C., and Ontario ministries of education authorize the establishment of some schools with the experimental approach and some schools with a more traditional orientation, and then let parents and teachers choose between them.

Sometimes as teachers I feel we forget that we have priorities. There are some things more important than others. Curriculum is necessary, but if the house is on fire, that document is not coming with me. Outcomes are necessary but if the room is under threat, I will not give them a moment's notice. Lesson plans are useful, but if a child's life is at risk, that carefully laid-out plan for my day would be the last thing on my mind.

We teachers have nothing to be sorry about. Despite what the government and school boards say, it's not our fault. It's not our doing. And it's certainly not our choice. Please don't tell me it's because we're asking for more money. Because we're not. Or that we're asking for better benefits. Because we're not. Or even that we're asking for more sick days. Because we're not. The only things we're asking is for is the freedom to use our knowledge as professionals to give your child the best education possible.

While I have some reservations about the fairness and wisdom of ramming the new sex education curriculum down the throats of unwilling parents, I am still scratching my head over the strength of this parental protest. Why are parents more upset about the somewhat-flawed new sex education curriculum than the known-to-be-very-flawed math and language arts curriculum already in place? Nor do the problems with the Ontario curriculum end with math and language arts. What about its music curriculum that doesn't teach kids how to sight read or sing in tune? Why aren't students taught cursive writing?

The misinformation about the new curriculum rivals the inaccuracies kids get about sex from their friends and our culture. Some parents are convinced that their kids will be asked to touch themselves at school. The actual curriculum stresses respecting yourself and respecting others. If you oppose it, fine. At least know what you are opposing. Parents are entitled to pass on their religious or moral beliefs to their kids, but they are not entitled to pass on their religious or moral beliefs to my child. By trying to force the Ontario government to yank the evidence-based, updated portions of the health curriculum for all Ontario kids, they are trying to prevent the majority who support this initiative from benefiting from it. And that's wrong.