transgenger book being introduced to 12 year old at school

[Molucco]

Just wanted to see what other parents think about a book called the art of been normal being introduced to all girls secondary school year 8 in English ?

It sounds like an interesting story which will generate discussion about the topic. I don't see the issue. I'd be glad my daughter was reading a contemporary novel rather than something from the 1950s.

Agree with nohummus.

Excellent summary by @NoHummus

I am assuming you disagree op?

It sounds like an excellent idea to me and an appropriate age to be read. In some quarters there seems a certain fear of trans people - so hopefully a good read from a child's perspective.

I just feel at age 12/13 girls are starting puberty and are very impressionable . To me there seems to be a bit of a trend going on at this school ,there are serval girls now saying they are boys and just wondering if introducing this book is influencing some of the girls .

No fear of trans people here- a very real fear that impressionable girls in particular are being fed a monstrous lie.

I would be very unhappy with my child being given this as a set text at school. It's propaganda. It is promulgating the lie that humans can change sex and breaking down girls' boundaries about not wanting male bodies in their spaces.

Can you speak to the school?

It doesn’t sound like a remotely “excellent” idea to me . Quite the reverse.

Fantastic idea I would fully support it

I don’t know the book but sounds great to me. My 6 year old knows what it means to be trans. She is not bothered or confused to discover that some people are different to her.

This is the thing if you speak up in today's woke world you will be labelled a bigot or transphobic. I'm sure I'm not the only parent who has concerns about this book . If say they were older year 10 perhaps I wouldn't mind so much , I feel they are too young and it's being pushed .

I wouldn't be enthused about it. My ds is 12 and has autism. He is highly impressionable. A while ago his friends introduced him to the idea of being non binary, they all announced they were, and as a kid who struggles to fit in this seemed like something he could fit in with.

Fortunately those friends went to a different school and he since they left he has left the idea behind but for a while he was really getting in deep and was of course worried. I know he isn't non binary, I know he is just a kid who struggles to fit in with his neuro typical classmates.

Some kids are vulnerable, it's not about fearing trans people, it's about protecting vulnerable kids.

Jeez so many typos on that, I hope you can still see what I was trying to get across.

I am sorry to say that being trans is not a TREND. Maybe you need to read the book too.

I read the crucible at school. Was that propaganda for witches?

Propaganda from the loony left being shoved down the throats of children.

Thank goodness my children are adults and their schooling was not subjected to this nonsense.

Of course it's a trend @MutedUser. The number of referrals - particularly of girls - to GIDS has skyrocketed. Do you honestly think there were thousands of secretly dysphoric children before?

No, teachers need to indoctrinate kids as early as possible.

It is incredibly right on now, to guide kids down the path of sterilisation.

I can't see anything wrong with this whatsoever. Move on. Nothing to see.

Ah, but you see, this will actually please no one. Because of course, the author is Doing Trans Wrong.

It is such a hot issue now, and I am suspicious by nature. Why this topic, why owing pushed so hard? You still see sexist twaddle being used in schools now (and not ‘old’ books either).

What does the book tell children and what are the lessons around the book telling them? If it’s that someone can change biology then that’s really not good.

(She's as transphobic as John Boyne....)

I feel for kids having to grow up in a world with such bigots and transphobic people . So is being gay a trend there is more openly gay people now than 50 years ago. Is that because they were all jumping on a trend or the fact that they were disowned or shouted abuse at when walking down the street years ago.

I will be reading the book dont worry about that , I want to know what's being fed into my child's head.Apparently there's posters up all over the English class room also there's loads of copies in the library . I get that a school need to discuss this issue but can't help but feel sceptical.

Yeah yeah yeah. When there is disinformation being sold alongside it, it is right to question motivation and where this is being driven from.

Since when is being gay ‘a trend’?

I agree with you OP. It's difficult to know how to navigate this though because banning your child from reading means you're separating them from their classmates and your child is the one who has to deal with the fallout and having to defend themselves and their parent from shrieks of "transphobic bigot!" I'd make my feelings known with the school though, read the book myself and ask for a summary of the teaching and work that would be done surrounding this book. My children know my dreadful gender critical views and largely agree though roll their eyes a bit. I'd just have to hope having the info I have given them would be enough to bring them through without any band wagon jumping.