Parents opposed to changes in sex education this school year have protested by pulling their children from classes in a Canadian province.
At least one school in Toronto, the provincial capital of Ontario, was half-empty on Tuesday on the first day of the new term.
Many parents believe that the changes to sex education in their schools – the first change in the province since 1998 – have been forced on them with inadequate consultation and that they are age inappropriate.
Sex education teaching starts from grade 1 (6-7-year-olds) under the changes, while grade 3 students (8-9-year-olds) will learn about same-sex relationships, children in grade 4 (9-10-year-olds) and up will learn more about the dangers of online bullying, while the perils of sexting will be taught in grade 7 (12-13-year-olds).
The Liberal-led government has backed the changes with a television, print and online advertising campaign in a number of different languages.
The imposition of the changes is also partly responsible for a work-to-rule by 76,000 elementary school teachers, which includes not emailing headteachers, collecting or distributing school board paperwork to pupils, or taking part in field trips.
At one school, Thorncliffe Park Public school, in Toronto on Tuesday almost 700 students did not attend as a result of the changes.
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne defended the changes to the curriculum: "This is the most widely consulted upon curriculum in the history of the province. When we write curriculum … on geography or social studies or mathematics, that kind of consultation does not happen because that's not how curriculum has been historically written in the province.
"We felt there was a need to have a broader consultation with parents on this curriculum."
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