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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - If you listened to what students attending St. Patrick high school learned about sex education compared to students from Sir John Franklin high school, you would hear a difference.

An agreement with the territorial government and the publicly-funded Yellowknife Catholic School District exempts the faith-based district from using the NWT Health Curriculum. Students are taught sex education through the Edmonton Catholic Schools' "Health and Life Skills" health program.

St. Patrick high school in Yellowknife has a bit of a different take on sex education than nearby Sir John Franklin high school. - Andrew Livingstone/NNSL photo

In the context of the Catholic Church's teachings, contraceptives, like condoms or birth control pills, violate the sanctity of life and students attending Yellowknife's Catholic high school are taught to practise abstinence instead.

Brian Carter, chaplain for Yellowknife Catholic Schools, said abortion is also not an option taught to students.

"It violates our belief in the sanctity of life and our belief that all life begins at the point of conception," he said.

"Any taking of life is morally wrong so to use abortion as an option is simply unacceptable from the standpoint of the Church."

Carter said the issues with sexuality calls for a need for strong education and knowledge to influence choices students make.

"It's about healthy choices," he said. "Sex is a great gift from God and we want to make sure our students are aware of the possible outcomes associated with sex."

Mel Pardy, assistant superintendent of education for Yk Education District No.1, said students are taught about healthy choices regarding sex

education, pertaining to birth control, abortion and homosexuality and aren't taught one thing to be right or wrong.

It's about making the right choices," he said. "We want students to be able to have an understanding of everything. We're using the supports from the GNWT health curriculum and we're subscribing to that."

Between 2001 and 2005, Yellowknife teens between the ages of 14 and 19 accounted for just over 21 per cent of all teen pregnancies territory-wide. In 2003 the national average for teen pregnancies was 32.1 per 1,000 pregnancies, while the NWT was more than double the national average at 78.7.

With high teen pregnancy and sexually-transmitted infection rates in the NWT, Carter said it's important for youth to gain perspective.

"Some people tend to think as Catholics we are putting our head in the sand, but that's not the case," he said.

"Teen pregnancy and STI rates are high, we want kids to be aware of how their choices could affect their life."

Carter said the only form of birth control the Catholic Church approves of is natural parent planning, a method of periodic abstinence where sexual intercourse is limited to naturally infertile periods -- infertile portions of the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy, or after menopause.

"We encourage the kids that the proper context for sex is within the context of marriage, so anyone not in the context of marriage wouldn't even be having that conversation," Carter said.

"A lot of the issues we talk about with heterosexuals surely apply to homosexuals. The ideal is a marriage between one man and one woman and abstinence before marriage. It's been a tenement of the Church for over 2,000 years."

Students in Yellowknife Catholic schools are taught that being homosexual is acceptable, but the act of homosexuality is not.

"They are members of society and through no fault of their own and no decision of their own they have to live with something quite painful," said Carter. "Certainly they're not shunned, Catholics are encourage to show compassion and make them fully-functioning members of society.

"The physical act of homosexuality is not part of God's plan."

Pardy said homosexuality isn't taught to be right or wrong. Yk1 teaches students about tolerance and acceptance.

"It's looked at in difference," he said. "There are differences in people and we teach our students about being respectful and tolerate and to work with others. Not just with homosexuality, but with cultural and personal differences, too."

Gay advocate Lauren Bulckaert grew up in a household ingrained by Christian beliefs and when she came out almost three years ago, she said it was a difficult time.

"It was devastating when I came out because a lot of people turned their backs on me," she said.

"When they were from my church or bible school, a lot said love the sinner, hate the sin. It was painful when they would tell me that. I was struggling between my sexuality and my religion. I still struggle with it sometimes.

"Why is my sin worse than a person who cheats or lies?"

Bulckhaert ran a program for gay and questioning youth in the city called Positive Youth, but the program folded in 2008. Youth were able to attend and talk about what they might be going through with their sexual uncertainty or confusion. Students from both high schools were in attendance for meetings.

Shawn McCann, manager of Public Affairs for Education, Culture and Employment, said the department supports the Catholic school system and their belief system, even though it may not offer a view consistent with the territory's health curriculum.

"There are some outcomes that won't be represented and we believe in a Catholic school system being allowed to make decisions," she said.

"Our interest is in ensuring that our parents are able to allow their children to learn based on their belief system. We support family involvement in these issues that are very personal."