Bit miffed by school...

Yep last day of term too so it’ll be a distant irrelevance by the time the governors get wind of any complaints… infuriating.

I am so tired of this insistence that in teaching children to be tolerant we have to wheel out a representative of every religion, sexual preference, gender identity etc. to plug their line.

The lesson for children is: be caring and polite to all your fellow human beings - end of.

We don't need someone saying "I sometimes fancy men and sometimes women", or "I don't eat whatever."

People are people and we all share this one world and should be valued and respected - and that is what children need to understand. All the rest is unnecessary.

That's bang out of order. No 8 year old child of mine would be attending that. 😒

Hmm why would a grown man want to go into a school to talk to 8 year olds about wearing women's clothes and fancying boys and girls? It's a mystery!

😱

Thing is schools teach tolerance and understanding of different groups in PSHE anyway. I teach it! Not sure why a speedily arranged talk would be necessary. Maybe they had booked it in and forgot to contact parents as such a lot going on at the end of term. As for talking to children about who they fancy at 8, that’s not really age appropriate. We teach that families look different ( small, large, blended, 2 mums/dads etc) from Reception age but don’t get into fancying people at all in primary.

Oh yes, the school knew what they were doing all right.

Yup, parts of my post haven't aged well at all. Mostly the bit about the school being sensible. The safeguarding bit has stood up pretty well. And the being furious.

Did he really tell the boys and girls that he "sometimes fancies boys and sometimes fancies girls"‽

You have to complain. You were given no realistic chance to respond yet you did. You asked for your child to to be removed and your request was not carried out.

And then it turns out that the session was wholly inappropriate for an 8yo. Cross dressing, a made up identity with no basis in law, and a male adult's sexual desires are not appropriate or necessary for children.

Reminiscent of the DQST. At first you just think, why, why? Then, after a while, you realise why.

😱 … and 8 year olds need to know that because…

Seems you were right be to be wary, OP. I certainly don't think that's age-appropriate. Others here may differ.

🤣 funny. ‘Decade ago’…

Do send me the approved and updated version of the King James Gilead Bible of Approved Words and Phrases.

OK, this will be my last response. I did you the courtesy of assuming you were speaking in good faith.

Can you explain why it's age appropriate for children to learn about heterosexuals families and heterosexual love stories existing but not gay or lesbian ones'?

I didn't say that, so I don't have to explain anything.

Or are you saying you're fine with 8-year-olds learning/knowing some families have two daddies, someone's auntie might love another lady etc as well as them learning/knowing about mummies and daddies?

If it crops up, and can be explained in an age-appropriate way, yes.

I'm not sure you have...?

My question/point is the same as someone else's, who expressed it better: 'Can you explain why it's age appropriate for children to learn about heterosexuals families and heterosexual love stories existing but not gay or lesbian ones'?

Or are you saying you're fine with 8-year-olds learning/knowing some families have two daddies, someone's auntie might love another lady etc as well as them learning/knowing about mummies and daddies? If so, I must have misunderstood.

Yes, I see what your point is, Mark, and I've responded to it.

I was responding to you saying 'mummies and daddies or hetero fairytale love stories' are good enough for 8 year olds and younger.'
My point was that I think 'mummies and mummies' and stories involving two dads, sisters with girlfriends, whatever, is also 'good enough' or anyway not inappropriate, seeing as many kids will have non-straightforwardly hetero family members.

No, of course not, and primary schools no doubt deal with that in an age-appropriate manner if it crops up. But AIUI, sex education 'proper', if you will, doesn't start in the UK until kids are at secondary school.

The deletions next to accusations of "being over sensitive" are a thing to behold.

Likely very instructive for lurkers.

Except posts I have responded to aren't making that distinction even and they're not providing any reasoning or evidence why they think this talk was about gender ideology. They've seen a post that mentions LGBTQ education and have posted about the "agenda" and how it's "sex education" etc, all things people would also say if they're unhappy with the LGB of LGBT hence why I've asked people to clarify what makes their post any more nuanced than the complaints from the homophobic patients.

Not being comfortable with gender ideology is a very different thing to homophobia

Did you find out any more about the talk? I would definitely raise the poor procedure with the head and governors, whatever the topic.