Who are "Just Like Us"

Check out this task from Just Like Us resources

My local paper has an article on them and as usual on this subject comments are switched off (they dont do this when its race related though for some reason such as when Indian councillor recently defected to Tories a lot of racist comments got through)

www.expressandstar.com/news/education/2021/06/25/schools-in-black-country-helping-to-spread-awareness-of-lgbt-equality/

There is loads of stuff on the ssauk threads. Have a dig through our twitter from last week.

Any more information on this? Specifically the year 6 lessons if possible?

twitter.com/SafeSchools_UK/status/1409035935522639872?s=20

Good article in the Daily Mail with comments from SSA

And yes they did invent it. And of course diversity isn't very diverse as is focussed mostly on the T of LGBT.

Sorry. The guidance is wrong. It's similar to the guidance which ended up in Judicial review. Any school using it would be in breach of the law, DfE guidance and safeguarding. SSA have been tweeting all week on this.

@cheeseismydownfall the guidance is wr

I thought that Just like Us invented school diversity week. I've seen what Safe Schools Alliance have been posting not good. The AIBU thread had lots of info.

Here’s a link to the Charity Commission registration for Just Like Us register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5067730

WTAF??

I've just seen that SSA have posted the full pack on their Facebook feed. I'm shocked by the content. My DC's secondary school are doing diversity week but I'm not sure if they are using the resources. I haven't stuck my head above the parapet yet because I haven't seen anything too alarming from them, but if they are referencing this I am worried.

The JLU guidance specifically says that schools are legally obliged to let trans children use the toilets of the sex they identify with. This is just outright wrong, isn't it?
m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2894065724240995&id=2235615356752705

Honestly, it gets worse. Reams and reams of unsuitable material which override safeguarding and contravene DfE guidelines and the Education Act.

Horrendous.

Thread here in AIBU if anyone interested: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4276531-AIBU-to-think-5-year-olds-do-not-need-to-learn-about-gender-and-pronouns-in-their-maths-lesson-in-the-name-of-diversity?watched=1&msgid=108398515#108398515

I raised their involvement with my child's school, using the very helpful links from SSA. School has confirmed they're not running any assemblies, and none of the material being used is JLU material, so I'm counting that as a win.

Safe Schools Alliance are tweeting examples - Maths for 5-7 yo.

If your school is buying this stuff it's not maths they are teaching.

twitter.com/SafeSchools_UK/status/1406897450892333059?s=20

Thanks for highlighting this and sharing the ssauk thread (I'm from ssauk)

We have loads more to say about them. They are a charity. They have about £300k in the bank, they seem well connected and have done big backers. Their resources are terrible. It appears schools diversity week is their invention, and of course it is only about lgbt with a focus on gender.

We think a lot of parents will presume it's about all kind of diversity.

So if your school is partaking and using these resources check out our thread and keep an eye out this week.

It's been learning disability week this week. How many schools who are taking part in this week did anything for the learning disabled?

Well done, Pellewsmate. There are going to be an awful lot of parents with the same note against their name when these issues come up, I suspect. And teachers, for that matter.

That's an excellent result Pellewsmate

For other parents with schools using Just Like Us, there's a new twitter thread by Safe Schools Alliance about them twitter.com/SafeSchools_UK/status/1406255631942799365

The founder of Just Like Us is very circumspect in his profile. Why no mention of his Fulbright Scholarship (Oxford and Harvard) and work in a No10 linked consultancy org?

I realise I've said 'charity'. I don't actually know if they are a charity or business so maybe 'organisation' would have been better.

I've seen a presentation from Just Like Us in a school. They have young presenters (university students) who tell their life stories of coming out to try to break down barriers. So it's a bit hit and miss who the school gets sent, could be anyone from any part of the LGBTQ+ spectrum.
The one I saw was perfectly innocuous (a young lesbian woman saying she was worried her parents wouldnt accept her but they did etc) but she clearly hadn't had much training and it wasn't a particularly good or effective session. Nothing about gender identity, just sexuality - but this was a few years ago so things might have changed, and of course it will completely depend who they allocate to send to your child's school.
As teachers, we didn't even know who the charity would send before they turned up which wasn't great, so it might be your school don't know yet either.

Hi just discovered my 14 year old DS is doing this too.

@Pellewsmate would you mind sharing the letter you sent your head so I don't have to reinvent the wheel?

Well done on persevering. The head teacher, of course, hopes that the deluge of BS will deter you.