To think suspending the teacher was extreme?

[LouBlue1507]

A maths teacher has been suspended, probably going to be sacked for accidently calling a trans child a girl whilst referring 'well done girls' to a small group of girls. He apologised for his mistake, but weeks later the parents complained.

I don't think he's helped himself by going to the press and 'This Morning' but for a class of pupils to lose a good teacher over this?

It's obvious that the majority of teachers need training on transgender, gender fluid etc. It's not fair that they are thrown in the deep end with no training what so ever. I bet most don't even know what half of it even means!

Tbh a maths teacher who repeatedly brings up religion in maths classes should be getting hauled over the coals imo so the whole "why should a good teacher..." argument falls flat on it's face.

So why should another ideology also been dragged up all the time?

You have two belief systems.

Which one should take precedence?

FFS no one asked him to declare black was white.

Yes they did.

It’s not trans-specific. And it’s disingenuous to suggest it is.
I am not saying it is but it could be a factor that we are not very good at measuring yet. I am saying that until your a parent of a trans child and your motivation is keeping your child alive (which is what some of these parents have come out as saying) then the average non professional hasn't a clue what the real pressures are. Then should not be called stupid.

As an adult in a position of responsibility, he should know that there are better ways of fighting against rules he doesn't like than trying to upset children

I agree in principle, but we don't yet know that he was "trying to upset" the child do we? We can express - and indeed I did - a general belief that personal convictions should be kept out of the classroom, but what happened in this particular case remains to be decided as it's currently just a whole bunch of allegations

And as I also said, some of the potential reasons for such allegations worry me

Yes they did

How? He wasn't asked to declare to anyone that he believed male was female. He was asked during the time he was in work to treat all pupils as laid out by school policy. He didn't he was suspended.

Datun -- there are numerous studies in the US that show the trans teens have the highest suicide rate
www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/08/16/transgender-individuals-face-high-rates--suicide-attempts/31626633/

To me, it's pretty basic that anyone teaching or working with young people would want to avoid anything that would increase the likelihood that ANY child or teen they come into connect with would want to end their own life, or feel that there is no place for them in this world.

For me, it isn't about any ideology other than that every life is precious, and that whatever some one else is going through, I'm going to do my best to treat each person with kindness. That's all. I've no ideology other than kindness to the people I come into contact with.

Julie8008

I wouldn’t dream of calling the parent of a trans child stupid. It has to be one the most difficult situations imaginable. And my compassion and sympathy knows no bounds. I am in regular contact with women on here who have children who are trans.

Which is why I have read extensively about the ideology, the science, the causes.

It’s crushing for people who are caught up in it.

Which is why I am critical of it.

It’s called gender dysphoria for a very good reason. Gender is defined, across the board, including trans pressure groups, as being the social expectation of fulfilling certain roles and appearance.

Our highly gendered society has created this problem.

We have reached a point where the only recourse is to accommodate it.

And I totally understand why people do.

But it’s a short term, sticking plaster solution.

We need to dismantle gender stereotypes. We need to tell boys they can like glitter and pink (I mean who fucking wouldn’t, it’s gorgeous and appealing).

NOT tell them that if they like it they must be girls.

He wasn't asked to declare to anyone that he believed male was female. He was asked during the time he was in work to treat all pupils as laid out by school policy

I don't pretend to have read this particular school's policy, but a number in my LA have indeed adopted ones which imply such a belief must be accepted without question

At the risk of dragging semantics into it, that sounds pretty close to "black is white" to me

*So why should another ideology also been dragged up all the time?

You have two belief systems.

Which one should take precedence?*

He's a maths teacher.

His job is to teach children maths.

Unless there is a weird cult religion out there that believes that 2 x 4 is actually 6 there is no two tier belief system that in any way affects his lessons.

His students have no need to know his religious beliefs in math lessons. None at all.

If he can't teach a subject without openly showing his religious beliefs then he has no place in a school full of children.

Yes Datun I agree with most of what you said there, I am not an expert so couldn't add more. All I do know is that it was not this teachers job to stick his oar in front of the whole class and point out his religious views to the one child who was most vulnerable to being negatively affected by them. It was unprofessional at best and abuse at worse.

CoyoteCafe

The studies completely ignore comorbid mental health issues.

Why is there such a high prevalence of autism amongst trans-people?

Why are girls transitioning? Why, when girls transition, is it because of past sexual trauma, or they are lesbian or autistic?

At the risk of dragging semantics into it, that sounds pretty close to "black is white" to me

If that's what you think then that is what all teachers do all day every day.

You tried really hard there no you didn't your lazy
Of course your not fat your boarding on obese
Of course your not stupid I have pets at home cleverer than you
Of course you can work out what 3*7 is he will never get it but I have to ask, sigh
I am coming out as gay you will burn in hell for eternity
Women have many choices of contraceptive only sluts have sex before marriage
All political parties have some good perspectives except the evil Tory scum

I feel like a boy today well your deluded then because your a girl, and at lunch everyone can come to bible class where I will teach you what god does to girls who want to be boys and pray for you

Secondly, the parents probably aren't stupid they are likely trying to stop their child from killing themselves and the teachers behavior was probably contributing to why the child was likely to kill themselves.

Why did we never hear of any suicidal kids years ago then. Another thing, that case recently in the news where the parents took their child out of school because they didn't believe their child should have to accept the six year old pupil constantly changing gender, (one minute a boy, the next a girl, depending on how the child felt) How can that be right.

I suspect half of these cases of kids being mixed up like that is because of idiotic irresponsible parents, putting ideas in their child's head.

I suppose you could also say a teacher has no need to know the gender identity of the pupils either. Would certainly save a lot of bother. Just treat everyone as gender neutral.

When did you all know you were who you are? did all you CIS females all know you were female from an early age? they why can't trans kids know they are trans from an early age?

MommaL you seem rather confused yourself. I knew I was female because of my body. My personality doesn't define my sex. I don't have a gender identity.

And what's with the 'cis' in capitals? You sound rather like one of those unpleasant "die cis scum" type transactivists. Women also don't call people 'jerks' in the UK. Or use that unpleasant phrase 'y'all'. Btw.

did all you CIS females all know you were female from an early age

If you're so hot on calling people what they want to be called, you might want to stop calling us all CIS females, many of us find it utterly offensive.

CoyoteCafe
The teacher could have just said "well done, students," but he made a choice not to.

In what world does "well done students" trip off the tongue, I would see that as more offensive and an attempt to ignore chosen gender then what he did.

lalalalyra

He's a maths teacher.

His job is to teach children maths.

I must remember to tell that to ofsted, my head teacher, the parents, and the pupils that I am only teaching them one subject.

Why did we never hear of any suicidal kids years ago then.

Oh dear Zeus

In what world does "well done students" trip off the tongue
So your saying the teacher was unaware that a child in his class was trans and just says whatever trips off his tongue. That makes him an idiot and because it wasn't a one off, abusive. Either way he should not be teaching vulnerable children.

FYI this was a school that championed LGBTQ rights.

I hit peak trans quite some time ago, but the fact that this man is being represented by the Christian Legal Centre/Christian Concern has told me all I need to know.

They are a lobby group whose agenda is to have fundamentalist Christianity enshrined in law. Chief Exec none other than Andrea Williams, who turned up on morning TV with the poor persecuted maths teacher.

Where in the bible does it say it's a sin to call a girl a boy? O for a girl to call herself a boy?
I despair. The teacher clearly was trying to make a point and is being arsey but...
A girl is female and a boy is male.

I must remember to tell that to ofsted, my head teacher, the parents, and the pupils that I am only teaching them one subject.

Because obviously ofsted would be delighted if you doubled up your subject with religious preaching...

Cis female? You mean woman, right?

I despair. The teacher clearly was trying to make a point and is being arsey but... A girl is female and a boy is male.

Okay, but what does that have to do with Christianity? Why would being Christian make someone feel any more strongly about that than a non-Christian?

lalalalyra

They (and others) seem to be ok as long as it fits in with their dogma