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Original poster

But it is "in schools" - help SSA amplify these terrible failures of safeguarding

113 replies

2fallsfromSSA · 15/03/2023 10:45

Over the last week or so, education leaders have denied that inappropriate and often unlawful RSE is being taught in our schools.

This thread makes for very sobering reading and needs to be in front of your MP and the Secretary of State for Education. Parents need to holding leaders to account and asking what the government is going to do about this horrific failure of safeguarding.

twitter.com/SafeSchools_UK/status/1635573520942891008?s=20

Please write to your MP and the Secretary of State for Education and include this thread. Copy in OFSTED and the Children's Commissioner

If you are on twitter please share and tag your MP, Gillian Keegan and the Children's Commissioner. (need the @ symbol before) Rachel_deSouza, GillianKeegan, ofstednews

www.writetothem.com/
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Also, use this thread to talk to you own schools. Find out what is being taught and demand to see the resources. People are finally listening, we need to ensure they now act.

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oldwomanwhoruns · 01/06/2023 08:19

Well done you @ScarlettBunting . But I'd be asking, what are your school going to be doing now to repair the damage? They shouldn't be just saying "oh sorry we won't do it again".
They need to instigate some special lessons, now, to undo the damage - ie to hammer home that nobody can change sex, that our bodies are us and not avatars that we can change at will.
And that we are all unique people, but that boys and girls are different. And that boys should not ever hit (etc) girls (there's another thread on here right now from a mum with a problem child - her boy seems not to be respecting girls).

WarriorN · 01/06/2023 06:24

It's heart warming to hear some heads get it.

Well done you!

WarriorN · 01/06/2023 06:24

Fantastic news Scarlett! It's when you read books for children on this that you see how extremely sexist the whole thing is - completely opposite to what children need in schools

ScarlettBunting · 31/05/2023 14:34

Datun · 30/05/2023 23:47

That's great @ScarlettBunting. Well done, even though you were nervous!

Let us know what happens after they get the guidance. If that ever happens...

Yes it'll be interesting to see what the guidance says ... if it ever emerges.

Datun · 30/05/2023 23:47

That's great @ScarlettBunting. Well done, even though you were nervous!

Let us know what happens after they get the guidance. If that ever happens...

Wimpod · 30/05/2023 23:23

@2fallsfromSSA

I missed your thread at the time, bit I'm blocked by @ Safe_Schools UK on Twitter for some reason. I'll try and look while logged out.

ScrollingLeaves · 30/05/2023 20:21

Well done ScarlettBunting! Your school must have a thoughtful head who is willing to listen, and reflect.

FriendofJoanne · 30/05/2023 14:18

That's great news @ScarlettBunting well done for following it up. I'm really luck my kids' primary school shared all the resources for sex ed with us, they were taught by the class teacher and only covered puberty and very briefly sex. No gender identity nonsense at all.

ScarlettBunting · 30/05/2023 13:32

ScarlettBunting · 16/03/2023 14:06

I recently spoke to my child’s primary school after they read Alien Nation (produced by the Proud Trust) in class. When my child described the book, I immediately recognised it (Planet Boy and Planet Girl!) and I remembered that I’d read Maya’s thread about it on Twitter. The Head listened carefully to my concerns, and the upshot is that the school is going to review its teaching of gender and sexuality. The book may not be the worst example of the inappropriate resources being used in schools, but I pointed out that it breaks the DfE guidance by suggesting “that children might be a different gender based on their personality and interests or the clothes they prefer to wear”. It also isn’t evidence based and doesn’t “contain robust facts and statistics”. It relies heavily on harmful, outdated stereotypes; conflates sex and gender all the way through; and implies that all boundaries are bad (a safeguarding concern). The school had been supplied the book and programme of work by a local council. Of course schools are busy and want to do the “right” thing so will go to these external providers, but essentially they are outsourcing their thinking to a provider (eg local council) who is in turn outsourcing its thinking to an external group (eg the Proud Trust) - the school might then reasonably assume that the resources are appropriate and meet the guidelines because they’ve come from a supposed “expert” supplier.

Thanks to SSA and Transgender Trend as I used their resources to formulate my arguments. And of course thanks to all the wonderful Mumsnet feminist vipers! I have also found a couple of like-minded local parents in the process…

Replying to my earlier post with a positive update in case anyone’s interested - I’ve now heard from the Head that the Governors have discussed the concerns I raised about Alien Nation, and the way the school teaches “gender” more widely, and they’ve decided to suspend use of the book and are awaiting the revised RSE guidance from the DfE. I’ve been impressed at how thoughtfully and carefully the school has responded to my concerns and I’m very glad I spoke up, even though it was quite nerve-wracking!

DerekFaker · 30/03/2023 07:25

I'm so tired of this. Children, whether they are having issues with their gender or not, deserve so much better.

ResisterRex · 30/03/2023 07:17

WarriorN · 30/03/2023 06:50

I've seen it's also on front cover of the Times. Bbc app front page headlines also mentioned it.

Thread here

Schools ‘let pupils switch gender without informing parents’ - Policy Exchange Report www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4774198-schools-let-pupils-switch-gender-without-informing-parents-policy-exchange-report

LittleFingerStrength · 30/03/2023 06:54

WarriorN · 30/03/2023 06:50

I've seen it's also on front cover of the Times. Bbc app front page headlines also mentioned it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-65120001

Front pages

Newspaper headlines: 'Ta-ra Paul' and 'gender ideology in schools'

Thursday's front pages include tributes to TV star and comedian Paul O'Grady.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-65120001

WarriorN · 30/03/2023 06:52

From bbc app

But it is "in schools" - help SSA amplify these terrible failures of safeguarding
But it is "in schools" - help SSA amplify these terrible failures of safeguarding
But it is "in schools" - help SSA amplify these terrible failures of safeguarding
WarriorN · 30/03/2023 06:50

I've seen it's also on front cover of the Times. Bbc app front page headlines also mentioned it.

ResisterRex · 29/03/2023 22:35

Policy Exchange report on the front page of tomorrow's Daily Mail:

twitter.com/tmorrowspapers/status/1641191105579417603?s=46&t=WHoOZ_3Kv5G6-FyQuvE0LQ

WarriorN · 29/03/2023 20:37

Excellent news

Original poster
2fallsfromSSA · 29/03/2023 20:25

We had t @ResisterRex - thank you

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ResisterRex · 29/03/2023 16:20

@2fallsfromSSA have you seen this? DfE say they're "very concerned" about reports of inappropriate materials and that the consultation is happening "as soon as possible"

questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2023-03-20/169475

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether educational materials produced by the campaign group Educate and Celebrate are approved for use in schools.

Answer
Schools are responsible for teaching relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), in line with the statutory guidance. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-educationn_
(opens in a new tab))_
.
The Department does not endorse or promote resources to schools, including those produced by Educate and Celebrate.
The Department is very concerned by reports that inappropriate materials are being used to teach relationships and sex education and has brought forward the review of the RSHE statutory guidance as a result, including conducting a public consultation as soon as possible. The review will enable us to decide whether further action is needed to ensure that schools are fully transparent with their RSHE policies and what will be taught.
Schools must make sure all content they use is factual and age appropriate and should engage with parents, so they are aware of what their children are being taught. Schools should be engaging with parents proactively on how and what they are teaching children on these issues.
The Department is clear that parents have a right to view teaching materials and copyright law does not prevent a parent from viewing external resources.

MrsOvertonsWindow · 28/03/2023 19:48

2fallsfromSSA · 28/03/2023 09:24

Our nearly 100 post twitter thread has been condensed into a blog post. She needed a long lie down and a large gin after writing it

https://safeschoolsallianceuk.net/2023/03/27/bad-rse-in-schools-where-is-the-evidence/

A fantastic piece well researched piece - and deeply worrying about the reality of the adults who are allowed to influence children in schools.
What is particularly worrying are the denials from the NAHT and other unions who have been complicit in enabling these deeply unsuitable adults to get into schools.

WarriorN · 28/03/2023 18:36

GinGinGin Tanya!

You were great on WH yesterday, thank you so much for all Your hard work on this, all of you. You must all be exhausted.

I particularly liked the framing of sex positivity as a political concept which of course it is, and we shouldn't be doing in schools.

Various individuals are saying that RSE shouldn't be politicised but of course it is with queer theory, sex positivity, liberal/ intersectional feminism etc.

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Original poster
2fallsfromSSA · 27/03/2023 08:18

Tanya carter will be on Woman's Hour this morning talking about RSE in schools.

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MrsOvertonsWindow · 25/03/2023 12:29

ScrollingLeaves · 25/03/2023 11:02

I think it's clear I think it's clear @ResisterRex that the DfE is a significant part of the problem

A bit like the Met police? Does it need a systematic overhaul?

One would hope the sacking of the Stonewall captured senior civil servant Jonathan Slater might have curtailed the power of queer theory activists. But no. They're evidently very welcome and still have an excessive influence.

ScrollingLeaves · 25/03/2023 11:02

I think it's clear I think it's clear @ResisterRex that the DfE is a significant part of the problem

A bit like the Met police? Does it need a systematic overhaul?

Original poster
2fallsfromSSA · 24/03/2023 22:47

I think it's clear @ResisterRex that the DfE is a significant part of the problem. We have numerous emails from them where they dismiss, minimise, deflect etc. I understand your concerns.

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