Sex not gender, No Outsiders changing the Equality Act, DepHead/DSL captured

@Vebrithien you really have got them rattled.

Wow. You can talk about whatever you like on whatsapp

The nerve of them thinking they can police you like this

No they don't. And as for thinking they have the power or the right to tell adults who they can or can't talk to, what they can or can't talk about, and where they can and can't do it...they are off their bloody rockers.

Just dropping into this to say that while I have nothing practical to add I'm following this thread closely and rooting for you with all my heart, Vebrithien. 🌻

Sad.

@Vebrithien I hope you're ok.

I've been thinking a lot about this and trying to calm down (can't imagine how you feel!) and I've come to the conclusion that if this bit Oh, and they threw in the threat that anything considered defamatory could be reported to the police

was in writing that I would raise a formal complaint, copied to governors immediately (as it was the school that sent this so they have a conflict of interest and cannot be reasonably expected to deal with this complaint) and be clear that if not resolved satisfactorily I would then follow procedure and raise with Ofsted because of the chilling impact of this type of statement (threat) on safeguarding.

If it was spoken, I would not raise a complaint but would put in writing that this was said, my hope that it was a miscommunication, but the fact that schools / public bodies cannot sue for defamation in law, that it's in any case a civil not police matter and defamation laws only apply if the statements are untrue. I'd add my concern that such an apparent threat/statement could have serious implications for a positive culture of safeguarding and parents feeling confident to disclose any concerns they may have. I'd also probably add that all my actions were in the best interests of the children in the school and promoting a positive culture of safeguarding where the entire school community feel able to respectfully share views.

Anyway, I have no doubt you will probably come up with something better, but this is what I'd do if it was me.

Sending solidarity and courage. And noting that for a lot of parents this comment (whether written or spoken) would shut them up. This is what we're facing. Schools apparently are more interested in promoting an unscientific ideology than doing what's in the best interests of children. It is very, very disturbing.

@Vebrithien I'd be tempted to add a final sentence to this paragraph:
I have posted nothing defamatory about the school, only shared some concerns that I had, which at that point had not been addressed, and are directly linked to a question about the Equality Act and protected characteristics, which was asked in the survey sent out earlier that day.

namely In addition, I am rather puzzled as to why you would consider wasting police time with any concerns about defamation, given that that's not a criminal matter but one for civil litigation, usually involving quite expensive lawyers.

But then I can be quite passive aggressive when the mood takes me.

Your MP sounds utterly captured. I don't know what to suggest if she's that captured. Is she in a safe seat?

Vebrithien · Today 10:43

It is just outrageous It's such a blatant safeguarding concern.

Yes, but it's not just that, it's the attempted intimidation and bare faced lying, which accompanies it. Hundreds of children have told us what happened - Rubbish! They're all making it up!

Well, who to believe?

All my support and taking my hat off to you OP. Schools can be too intimidating when parents want to complain and they will deviate, duck and try to derail you but good that there is strong evidence being gathered.

I have not seen all the thread but I wonder if you have come across some of the bigger parents associations fighting this: Baywater support group.

keep strong, keep a record of your interactions and as said before request comms in writing.

Vebrithien · Yesterday 20:37

Sad that is hasn't been possible to have a reasonable, evidence based discussion with a primary school.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11818581/Parents-fear-11-year-olds-scarred-life-graphic-sex-education-lessons.html

It seems that it's common for schools to deny the facts, when they've been caught teaching rubbish and called out for it.

‘A mother rang me horrified about her daughter of 11 coming home after the lesson and asking her if she could get pregnant “through her mouth or her bum,” ’ she says. ‘The subject of oral and anal sex had obviously been discussed by the teacher even though these were very young children.’

Worse was to follow, if that seems possible. Eliza received an email from the same mother, which we have her permission to publish, about the same science lesson. Its highly shocking content was as follows: ‘My daughter came home yesterday asking me to clarify what the word c**t means.

One father, Matthew Cheetham, 34, who helped draw up the petition, has an 11-year-old girl at QE2 as well as a boy of seven at primary school and due to go there. He told the Mail that hundreds of children had come forward ‘telling identical stories’ about their classes since the sex education curriculum was introduced in September. ‘It is clear from the sheer volume, that what they’re telling their parents day after day when they come home is true.’

For her part, the head teacher of QE2, Charlotte Clarke, supports the investigation. ‘I am confident that there is false and inaccurate information being shared,’ she said. ‘For openness and transparency, I requested an independent review to ensure the facts. I am happy to take part in the independent external investigation. The safeguarding of our students is paramount.’

I would hope that this is like a small pebble thrown into a still pond. The ripples have started to spread out.

And will continue to do so. This and your resource thread here are good size ripples, and connecting with other parents at primary mean they will carry the ripples to secondary as their children move up.

After the unwarranted threats they’ve dumped on you I’d be inclined to ask for everything to be in writing rather than by phone from now on “just to avoid any misunderstandings.”

I'd second this. Your response will vary depending on whether the Assistant Head has been a loose cannon in this or whether it was a coordinated response.

Good luck, it all sounds rather unsettling!

I feel quite guilty of having vicarious satisfaction from your stand against the poster, while you are left with the unnerving and very unpleasant consequences. It is so difficult when your own child is at a school. I hope you are ok 💐💐

👏