Top Ontario official arrested for child porn said sex-charged equity program was a ‘priority’
The former top Ontario education official who was charged this week with making child pornography stated in a 2009 letter that a government strategy seeking to embed the Liberals’ “sexual diversity” agenda in the schools was a “priority” for him.
In the letter, dated April 6th, 2009, Dr. Benjamin Levin informs school boards and principals of the release of the government’s “equity and inclusive education” strategy, which sparked intense controversy because of its promotion of homosexual activism in the schools.
One element of the strategy was a radical sex-ed program - beginning with 6-year-olds in first grade - that was shelved by then-Premier Dalton McGuinty because of a backlash from parents.
In the letter, Levin – who was then serving as Kathleen Wynne’s deputy minister of education – writes: "This province-wide strategy has been a priority for our Minister of Education Kathleen Wynne and me."
The letter is available on the Ministry of Education’s website. Its existence was first reported by Sun News Network’s Faith Goldy.
The letter has surfaced as a growing chorus of parents, pundits, and civil leaders have been calling on Premier Kathleen Wynne to come clean on the role Levin played in developing the sex ed program.
But Jack Fonseca, project manager for Campaign Life Coalition, said the letter appears to be “proof positive” that Levin was directly involved in crafting the government’s sexually-charged curriculum.
The "inclusive education" strategy, which is meant to be weaved through the K-12 curriculum, recommended schools participate in the homosexual Pride parades, which are known for their lewd sexual displays, including half-naked men dressed in sado-masochistic attire. It also urged teachers to use texts written by “gay/lesbian authors,” recommended bringing homosexual activist groups into the schools to counsel youth, and promoted “gay-straight alliance” clubs.
The strategy also led to the Liberals’ “anti-bullying” legislation, known as Bill 13, which now forces schools, including Catholic schools, to allow gay-straight alliances.
“Is there a connection between a man who allegedly makes child porn also writing school curriculum that suggest schools get children to celebrate what has been termed a ‘sex parade’?” asked Fonseca.
Commenting on the Ministry’s promotion of discussions on “gender identity” in early grades, Fonseca added: “Is there a reason why an alleged child abuser might want to confuse children about their sexuality? We think that’s a legitimate question.”
Levin, 61, was arrested early Monday morning by Toronto Police after an online, multi-jurisdictional investigation involving officials from New Zealand and London, Ontario.
He was charged with one count of making child pornography, two counts of distributing child pornography, and one count each of counselling to commit an indictable offence and agreeing or arranging a sexual offence against a child under 16.
In court Wednesday, he was charged with two more child porn offences, for possessing child pornography and accessing child pornography, following a police raid on his home Monday.
In his role as Ontario’s deputy minister of education, Levin was the Ministry’s top public servant. He served from 2004 to 2009, under Wynne during his last three years when she was Minister of Education.
When she became Premier after winning the Liberal leadership race, making her the first lesbian head of government in the country, she named him as a member of her transition team.
Since leaving the Ministry of Education, Levin has acted as Canada Research Chair in Education Leadership and Policy for the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. He has also served as an education consultant to the Ontario government, including as an expert on “equity.”
Premier Wynne’s office, the Ministry of Education, and the University of Toronto have so far declined to comment on the charges.
“There should be ramifications for this serious scandal,” said Fonseca.
“First of all, I think the Opposition should promise to repeal the Wynne-Levin [equity strategy],” he said. “Secondly, Ontario’s Catholic school trustees and Catholic bishops need to rethink their begrudging compliance with the [equity strategy] and Bill 13 to this point.”
“Now that [the bishops] know an alleged child pornographer was involved in writing these unconstitutional directives, there’s no better time to invoke their rights. They should cast out these anti-Catholic mandates, and do it quickly,” he added.
Contact info:
Tim Hudak, Ontario PC Leader
Phone: 416-861-0020
Toll-free: 1-800-903-6453
Email: tim.hudakco@pc.ola.org
Phone: 416-861-0020
Toll-free: 1-800-903-6453
Email: tim.hudakco@pc.ola.org
Marino Gazzola, President
Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association
mgazzola@ocsta.on.ca
416-932-9460
Thomas Cardinal Collins
Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario
archbishop@archtoronto.org
416-934-0606
Carol Allen, President
Catholic Principals Council of Ontario
president@cpco.on.ca
1-888-621-9190
