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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Stonewall advising our secondary school

32 replies

StonewallSchoolInfluence · 25/11/2021 16:24

Have name changed for this.

Backstory - start of this term, the school announced all toilets were to become gender neutral (by taking signs off doors and removing urinals). There was a big fuss, school eventually backtracked and only made some blocks gender neutral. I personally had an email exchange with the deputy where I was lectured about being kind and inclusive. / Then this half term there was a PSHE newsletter saying y8 covering gender identity, with links to Stonewall. I contacted PSHE lead to express concerns about this.

Just had a newsletter from the head, with a lot of talk about inclusivity, mention of trans awareness week, and that the student leaders have been working with 'relevant charities' about LGBTQ+ issues. So I enquired which charities, and of course, it's Stonewall.

Any thoughts where to go from here? Do I wait for any issues to arise and then tackle them? Do I contact them now to express my concerns?

Has anyone had similar?

Bearing in mind, I don't want to do anything that would put my kids in an awkward position, this is nothing to do with their views or them personally. And I'm a bit worried I already have a reputation.

OP posts:
Mollyollydolly · 25/11/2021 16:57

This 2018 article from Woman's Place UK might be useful. Good luck.
womansplaceuk.org/2018/11/12/mixed-sex-toilets-ins-chools/

MsFogi · 25/11/2021 16:54

I would be contacting each and every governor of the school to explain your concerns and linking to the Transgender Trend and Safe Schools Alliance websites (ideally linking to the most relevant resources). I would also be writing to the Safeguarding lead (with the safeguarding link governor in copy (including a request that they share you message with the other governoes)) to ask how they were managing safeguarding in all of this.
If you don't get adequate responses then raise a formal complaint in accordance with the school complaints policy (they will have one) and follow through the complaints appeal process.
Also if you are in contact with any other parents at the school, ask them to do the same.

OhHolyJesus · 25/11/2021 16:54

The schools shouldn't discriminate or prejudice your child's education based on your views or matching that if the head teacher, that wouldn't be very inclusive!

Anyway, at this point I would raise a complaint and go through the formal procedure but I realise that's easy for me to say.

If they are teaching gender identity as fact and basing any lessons on sex-based stereotypes they are in breach of the 2020 dep of education guidelines.

As 334 posts, the safe schools alliance resources are really useful.

StonewallSchoolInfluence · 25/11/2021 16:50

@334bu thank you! I've looked on SSA website but haven't found anything specific to this situation. Will defo be good if the school decides to change any policies etc.

The TT link looks useful - sounds like a good overview of all the concerns about Stonewall in schools.

OP posts:
334bu · 25/11/2021 16:43

safeschoolsallianceuk.net/

StonewallSchoolInfluence · 25/11/2021 16:27

Also, does anyone know what the Inclusion Quality Mark organisation is and should I be concerned about that too?

OP posts: