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Original poster

What is "ideology" and what rights to parents have? and what is "sex education"?

33 replies

worstofbothworlds · 08/11/2018 10:08

This is a bit more general but follows on from my other thread about a boy in my DC's class whose mum says he is now a girl.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3414798-Mum-says-child-in-my-DCs-class-has-transitioned

I enquired what material was used around this explanation to the class and was told - roughly - what video was used and have shown my DC a snippet and they confirmed that it probably was that video.
HT is telling me that "this is not sex education so you don't have the right to withdraw your DC" and "this child has always been a girl". Both the HT's explanation and the video that my DC thinks they saw are very stereotyped (you know you're a girl because you like dollies/dresses/pink/mermaids/long hair and cars are boys toys).

Now, obviously, there will be many here who agree with me that this is a political ideology AND relevant to sex education.

I will be checking that the sex education syllabus to be delivered over the course of this school year - and Y3 will be puberty - will be anatomically correct and will refer to the correct sexes i.e. they will not be telling children that some girls have penises or some boys have periods. As this is National Curriculum stuff too I guess I could report them to Ofsted if they are teaching something in science that isn't science?

But there is also the issue of ideology - some people DO believe that a boy with a boy's biology can be, actually, a girl all along. What are my rights and what are a school's obligations to teach a balanced version of a political belief system?
And we also believe that gender stereotypes are imposed by society and not a feature of individuals. Again, what are my rights on my child being taught the opposite under ideology/what are the school's obligations to teach a balanced view?

OP posts:
newtlover · 08/11/2018 11:07

unfortunately we did too good a job of teaching them to be kind and considerate of other's beliefs and now I have a 30 year old who calls me a biological essentialist Shock

newtlover · 08/11/2018 11:03
Grin
Original poster
worstofbothworlds · 08/11/2018 10:43

newt I did double check with the relevant DC that they (the DC) don't think that X's willy has dropped off.

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Original poster
worstofbothworlds · 08/11/2018 10:39

Yes, "religion and belief" are the same protected characteristic - presumably so that those whose "beliefs" are humanist, political, or atheist cannot be discriminated against even though it's not "religion".

I've always classified my feminist beliefs as "political" (and I do have, separate, beliefs that are related to religion though not in the way that the HT thinks, I imagine).

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newtlover · 08/11/2018 10:39

This reminds me of religion- our DC were constantly confronted with religious practice and views that conflicted with what we believe. I did once confront a teacher about this as she had (according to DD) presented as fact something that was actually a matter of belief.
But in general we told them to be quiet and respectful when other people were (eg) praying and that everyone had different beliefs etc etc

  • this worked for us, they grew up sharing our views but understanding other people thought differently.
I'm not sure how helpful this is, as saying a boy is a girl is on a different scale- more like if a teacher had taught creationism as fact. But if I had young DCs, I think that's the kind of line I'd take. But how to do it without undermining a teachers authority I don't know. 'yes, Fred, you are a boy we know this because you've got a penis. When you grow up you will be a man. But of course, you can be any kind of boy you want, it doesn't matter what you wear or play with, you'll still be a little boy. Mrs X says boys can change into girls? Well, Fred, we all have different ideas and we must respect Mrs X and her delusional beliefs' .......hmmmm......my kids would not have bought that.
Original poster
worstofbothworlds · 08/11/2018 10:36

The HT said "X is a girl who [and here the red mist was descending so I wasn't listening properly] just happens to have a boy's body/was born in a boy's body/was born as a boy" or similar guff.

HT also said "it's not RE so you can't exclude your child" and when I said this conflicts with our beliefs said "we are a community school, not a faith school" though was a bit taken aback when I said this is NOT due to religious beliefs. I was, as I say, a little upset at this point so forgot to insert the word "feminist" or "political".

OP posts:
OldCrone · 08/11/2018 10:25

But there is also the issue of ideology - some people DO believe that a boy with a boy's biology can be, actually, a girl all along. What are my rights and what are a school's obligations to teach a balanced version of a political belief system?

I would say this was more a religious belief than a political one. I think you have the right to remove your child from lessons which conflict with your religious beliefs. If your belief system is based on science and they are teaching anti-science gender ideology, you should be able to remove your child.

I don't work in a school or have a child in school, so I'm not totally sure of that, but religion and belief are protected under the equality act.

Did the HT really say the child had 'always been a girl'?

Original poster
worstofbothworlds · 08/11/2018 10:10

Aargh typo in my title - what rights DO parents have?

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