School Guidance out Tomorrow

This is concerning. These teachers have put their ideological beliefs ahead of parents doing what they believe to be a good thing for their children and unilaterally demonised those actions. While some teachers really do get to know a student, or they certainly can recognise issues at home arising from behaviour and comments from the student, they very often don’t have time to get to know them. At primary school, I remember the shock from my child’s teacher at my child’s academic results at the end of the year, despite us telling him early in the school year that our child was good at one of the subjects but had been telling us that the teacher didn’t help them. This was primary school.

At secondary, we have encountered mostly well intentioned teachers but the reality is that very few of them has picked up the approaching extreme social anxiety my teen has. And I don’t expect them too either, as good as any teacher can be, they cannot be super teachers and know every one of their students well. Or to see past a mask that a child puts on to get through school or meetings with teachers / clinicians.

What I find most concerning though, is this default demonising of parents who probably do know their children and who may make these moves when their child is initiating or at least fully on board with it.

Families transfer their children to other schools for all sorts of reasons (inadequate support for SEN, bullying, and toxic friendship groups being the reasons I’ve come across most frequently from other families). So would these teachers also conceal from parents that their child was being bullied in case that led to them changing schools? If not, why is it different in this case? (Other than these teachers’ ideological position on promoting gender identity theory?)

“Teachers on the Reddit forum have said they are willing to be sacked rather than comply with this. One said they worked in a school that used to encourage pupils to “come out” to their parents, but changed their strategy after this led to children being withdrawn from school.

The user wrote: “We have changed our approach to a more cautious one after trans students in the area were immediately withdrawn from school, ‘homeschooled’ for a period of time during which they had all electronics removed and were completely socially isolated, and then re-enrolled in another local school under the threat that if they claimed a trans identity or used their preferred name and pronouns they would be ‘homeschooled’ again until they were 18.

“We lost a couple of students under these circumstances and we gained a couple from other schools. It’s absolutely horrendous for the young people involved and there have been serious suicide attempts.”

How teachers are able to judge what makes for a "serious suicide attempt"? Are they medically qualified now? And how can they arrive at this conclusion without even being in contact with those ex-pupils? And...this is weird...by complaining on Reddit that minors have had their internet access curtailed...are they saying they have been cut off from pupils by parents who can see it's social contagion?

I think we should be told.

I genuinely think that teachers who socially transition children without parental or medical consent should face serious sanction. If the child is at risk, then appropriate safeguarding procedures should be in place.

No teacher would think it safe to administer drugs without parental agreement. Cass shows clearly that social transition is an act which can have serious effects on children’s health. Teachers are not qualified to decide if this is actually in the best interests of the child, and some of them need reminding of this.

This is not complicated, although Stonewall training makes it appear so

It probs let has to be messy. Children have always been called what they wanted and there are always families which can’t be contacted without causing potential problems for children. Keeping children safe is messy and strident opposition to any changes push students further down the path.

Children do have multiple teachers even in primary. It’s not feasible now for the pe teacher to be calling a child one name and every one else another. Plus it really wouldn’t take long for someone less enamoured by gender ideology to whistleblow to the parents and then the school is in trouble!
and yes what if the child later desists and blames the teacher for encouraging them!
what would the teacher do / say?
could parents sue if they were kept in the dark?

It's better than no guidance, I suppose, and at least it's not a complete stonewall wash.....

I don't understand why some teachers are adamant they won't comply, though. Children have more than one teacher!! Are there individual teachers who are really prepared to allow children to socially transition just in their classes or clubs? How risky is that following the Tavistock ruling?

Maybe we should ask, what penalties would such a teacher face if a former student returned a decade later saying they are detransitioning, have been harmed, and it's the teacher's fault?

It's as clear as mud. What a mess all this is.