Alberta wants changes to ‘women studies’ course
EDMONTON Alberta’s education minister wants a school division to immediately revamp a course entitled “Women Studies” which teaches tween girls about hairstyles, flattering clothing, dinner party etiquette and polite conversation.
David Eggen says the NDP government has made gender equity a top priority and understands why concerns are being raised about the course offered by the Pembina Hills School Division to girls in Grades 6- 9.
His officials have spoken to the school division, he said.
“We informed them that all problematic or offensive components must be changed. They have assured me they will make appropriate changes,” Eggen said in an emailed statement.
“My office will be actively monitoring this situation, and I trust that Pembina Hills will make the appropriate changes necessary to this course.”
David Garbutt, acting superintendent for the division in central Alberta, was in a board meeting Wednesday and unavailable for an interview. In a statement, he said the course is a “work in progress” and the board is listening to the constructive criticism it has received.
“People are rightly concerned that our students not feel stereotyped. We agree,” he said. “We will be reviewing the curriculum to ensure that it doesn’t reinforce stereotypes in the process of encouraging positive
self-image and selfesteem.”
The division oversees 3,800 students in 15 community schools.
The course, which drew 25 girls when it was offered last month, was featured in a blog post on the division’s website last week. Teacher Michelle Savoie said the curriculum is intended to help girls navigate adolescence with healthy self-esteem.
“In this age of social media, girls are being frequently compared to others and exposed to messages about how they aren’t good enough unless they dress and behave a certain way,” she is quoted as saying in the post.
“I hope the girls will learn to be supportive of each other and gain confidence and selfesteem as they discover who they are and who they want to be.”
Students will learn how to “enhance their natural beauty and express confidence” by “analyzing the shape of their faces to determine which hairstyle is most flattering (and) assessing their body shape to choose clothing styles that are the most complimentary,” the post said.
The girls are expected to do a report on a woman they admire, as well as complete a personality test to help determine what career might suit them. Students are also to look at a history of women’s beauty in North America.