An anti-abortion group will no longer be making a sexual education presentation at a London elementary school.
The Thames Valley District School Board has decided to cancel the May 29 presentation by the London Pregnancy and Support Centre for Grade 7 and 8 students at Lord Roberts French Immersion Public School after "school administration became better informed about the religious base of the organization’s messaging specific to sexual education."
Crisis Pregnancy Centres were founded by American evangelist Billy Graham in 1975 to "draft a biblical response to the abortion problem." The London chapter of the organization first opened in 1990, and after moving to several locations, settled at 261 Piccadilly St. in 2002.
"School principals have the discretion to approve one-time presentations to students by community groups," the school board said in a statement issued on Friday. "However, religious-based groups are not among those that should be considered by principals to provide sexual education curriculum."
Caroline Woodburn is the current principal at Lord Roberts, according to the school's website.
"The Growth and Development expectations as outlined in the Ontario Curriculum will be delivered by classroom teachers with support materials from the Middlesex-London Health Unit," the school board added.
While the school board has denounced the group's presentation, sources have said officials with the London Pregnancy and Support Centre recently made a presentation at Arthur Ford Public School.