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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Teachers ‘must tell parents about pupils’ gender changes’

33 replies

IwantToRetire · 16/04/2023 01:26

The non-statutory guidance on transgender pupils is being drawn up by the Department for Education and expected to be published within weeks. ... it states throughout the importance of biological sex in single-sex spaces. It also leans heavily on the findings and recommendations of Hilary Cass, the paediatrician who was tasked by the NHS with reviewing gender identity services for children and young people.

The prime minister is concerned about parental consent, and the guidance will set out in detail when schools must inform parents about their children questioning their gender.

It will be clear that certain triggers, such as a child changing their name, must involve parents and require their consent before the school can affirm their new identity.
Changes to uniform, such as a boy who begins wearing a skirt, are considered less obvious triggers but will nonetheless be highlighted in a similar way.

“Cass is really clear that social transition, so even wearing a skirt to school, using a different name, all of those things, are consequential; they are not a neutral thing to do,” a source said. “As someone responsible for safeguarding you have a duty to tell the parents.”

There is an exception, where information can be withheld from parents, for cases where the child is believed to be at risk of “significant harm” at home.

Full article in the Times at https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/teachers-must-tell-parents-about-pupils-gender-changes-r3ch5qqwh

Also can be read by going to https://archive.ph and entering the Times URL.

Teachers ‘must tell parents about pupils’ gender changes’

Schools will have to tell parents if pupils who want to change their gender start using a new name or wearing a different uniform under new government guidance.The document, which is still being finalised, is also expected to make clear that children w...

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/teachers-must-tell-parents-about-pupils-gender-changes-r3ch5qqwh

OP posts:
MrsMurphyIWish · 16/04/2023 08:04

I’m a teacher and was liking forward to this guidance but from how it’s worded, nothing will change. Current safeguarding guidance suggests we work in the best interests of the child, IDEALLY with parents but “ideally” isn’t “you must”.

FWIW, I don’T feel comfortable with calling pupils by their preferred names/pronouns but I do because of this:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11976891/Female-teacher-forced-apologise-saying-Good-afternoon-girls.html

Female teacher forced to apologise for saying 'Good afternoon, girls'

Bosses at the £20,000-a-year school told the teacher to deliver the mea culpa after her class complained that she said 'good afternoon, girls' at the start of a lesson.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11976891/Female-teacher-forced-apologise-saying-Good-afternoon-girls.html

ResisterRex · 16/04/2023 08:00

This definitely seems like one where we need the document to judge. What's the threshold for not telling parents? Is a section 47 referral type situation? That may be logical (although Cass seemed to have uncovered an astonishingly high rate of trans-identified children in her interim report) but what if it's not?

And what type of non-contact sports are being mixed? Because that could be a Trojan horse to undermining girls' rights to their own clubs as we've seen with the Girl Guides.

dunBle · 16/04/2023 07:53

Theeyeballsinthesky · 16/04/2023 07:43

Non statutory guidance is pointless. It can’t be enforced & will just be ignored by schools already captured.

Not necessarily. I'm not a lawyer, but my take on it would be failure to follow statutory guidance would mean legal sanctions could be taken against them, which wouldn't be the case with non-statutory guidance, but it'd probably screw up their next OFSTED inspection.

Theeyeballsinthesky · 16/04/2023 07:43

Non statutory guidance is pointless. It can’t be enforced & will just be ignored by schools already captured.

Thingybob · 16/04/2023 07:40

Non Statutory so schools and lobby groups will be able to ignore the guidance?

While some campaigners believe schools should refrain from affirming or facilitating a child’s social transition until medical advice has been issued, Whitehall insiders say this is out of step with NHS guidance and the Cass review.

Where in the NHS guidance or the interim Cass findings does it support social transition without medical advice?

NoSquirrels · 16/04/2023 07:36

About bloody time.

thatsn0tmyname · 16/04/2023 07:34

Good. Children are harmed when adults don't communicate properly.

Myalternate · 16/04/2023 07:25

Can’t come soon enough. I don’t have children at school yet, but was seriously considering Home Schooling for when that time comes.