Controversial survey put on hold by school board
Posted Nov 17, 2010 07:09:00 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – The Ottawa Carleton District School Board has put the breaks on a controversial survey.
The survey asks students about sexual orientation.
The move comes after a complaint was filed with Ontario’s Privacy Commissioner.
The survey was supposed to go out starting next week, and included asking questions about sexuality, family ethnicity, and parents’ level of education.
Parents and Ontario opposition politicians were furious earlier this month after the board announced it would give the voluntary survey to students in grades 7 through 12.
The school board says it wants to gather demographic information for planning purposes. It says every effort was made to protect sensitive student information.
The board says it is working with the commission to make sure the survey complies with privacy rules and says the survey will be delayed until an investigation is complete.
