Your rights under PPM 162

What PPM 162 covers

• Only the Human Development and Sexual Health expectations in strand D of the Health & Physical Education curriculum (Grades 1–8).
• Parents may request that their child be exempted from instruction related to those specific expectations.
• The request must be made in writing each year.
• Boards must provide at least 20 school days’ notice before the relevant instruction begins.
• No academic penalty may be applied. Supervision during the exemption is the board’s responsibility.

PPM 162 is narrow. It does not automatically cover preferred-name practices, GSA activities, library books, equity assemblies, or other identity-related programming outside those specific curriculum expectations.

How to request an exemption

1. Watch for the board/school notice (must be given ≥20 school days in advance).
2. Submit a written request to the principal citing PPM 162 and naming the specific expectations or units. Copy the letter.
3. Keep a dated copy of your request and any reply.
4. If the school does not provide alternative supervision or refuses the request, escalate in writing.

Appeal / escalation steps

1. School principal
   DDSB directory: ddsb.ca school directory
   DCDSB listing: dcdsb.ca school listing
2. Superintendent of Education (Family of Schools)
   DDSB main: 905-666-5500
   DCDSB main: 905-576-6150
3. Chief Executive Officer / senior leadership
   DDSB Director’s EA: 905-666-6312 (Dorothy Leaver)
4. Board of Trustees
   See the Contacts page. DDSB Trustee Services: 905-666-6363
5. Ontario Ombudsman (administrative fairness)
   1-800-263-1830 · ombudsman.on.ca
6. Further options (higher threshold): consult a lawyer regarding a Human Rights Tribunal application or judicial review if discrimination or serious procedural unfairness is alleged.

Most issues resolve at the principal or superintendent level when the parent clearly cites PPM 162 and provides documentation.

If your child is in Grades 9–12

PPM 162 does not apply to secondary school. There is no Ministry memorandum that lets you exempt a Grade 9–12 student from Healthy Living / Human Development expectations the way you can in elementary.

What still works:

• A written request for unit dates, materials, and guest-speaker notice (not an “exemption under PPM 162”).
• A written request that you be notified before staff use a different name or pronouns.
• FOI for lesson materials and procedures.
• School Council, trustees, and the Ombudsman if process is ignored.

Secondary HPE is the 2015 curriculum. Students need one HPE credit for the OSSD; Healthy Active Living courses continue those topics. Grades 9–12 HPE PDF

High-school letter · If they said no