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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU that I'm annoyed the college makes my dd wear rainbow lanyard?

217 replies

thehusbandswife · 07/03/2018 13:04

My dd started at sixth form last September and despite there being no uniform as such,the students have to wear their id badges on a rainbow lanyard.I am all for inclusion and diversity but feel angry that the college enforce such political opinions on their students and wondered what had happened to freedom of choice.Then last month during tutorial they devoted a whole hour teaching the students what it meant to be lbgqt as well as what pan sexual,asexual gender neutral is. AIBU to feel that there are far more pressing things to teach the students rather than these issues.On top of this certain teachers feel obliged to air their own political opinions,deeming anyone who disagreed with them re Brexit,general election as "uneducated"
It has been 20 years or so since I was at college when the focus was on education and political opinion/persuasions were not mentioned.Is this the norm these days in Sixth form education?

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 07/03/2018 14:53

Seriously, OP???

OutyMcOutface · 07/03/2018 14:55

Some one who teaches in a college is calling other people uneducated-the irony!

Vagndidit · 07/03/2018 14:58

I didn't realise the LGBT community had the monopoly over the rainbow.

IWannaSeeHowItEnds · 07/03/2018 15:04

People voting Brexit were likely to be less educated.
This isn't true. People who voted Brexit were more likely to be older than remain voters. They were less likely to have attended university in the same numbers as younger people do today. So yes, the remainers are more likely to have A Levels and degrees. But if we are measuring 'educated' purely in those terms, it isn't taking into account societal changes wrt education opportunities.
I have a degree. I am far less intelligent than my parents, who don't.

IWannaSeeHowItEnds · 07/03/2018 15:07

I disagree with teachers sharing their political opinions - they have a captive audience in children, who do not always feel able to openly disagree.
The teacher's job is to encourage debate amongst the students. Anything else is inappropriate.

TerfsUp · 07/03/2018 15:07

YANBU.

blastomama · 07/03/2018 15:09

People seem to be having a go at OP for assuming the lanyard is representing LGBTQwhatevs?
Perhaps they have specifically SAID that it is just that and that is OP's issue? If so, students should not have to engage in compulsory virtue signalling.

JanDough · 07/03/2018 15:10

@IWannaSeeHowItEnds

"But if we are measuring 'educated' purely in those terms"

Academic qualifications and attainment? Yes, those are the terms by which we tend to measure ones education. There are no others.

It seems you made the mistake of conflating intelligence and education. Where was your degree from?

lakeshoreliving · 07/03/2018 15:10

Iwanna to be fair education and intelligence aren't the same thing at all, so it is possible to make a factual statement on educational levels without commenting on intelligence. I know it's a nit picky point, sorry.

AnnieAnoniMouse · 07/03/2018 15:10

I’m stunned and amazed that this is the OP’s first post (under this name at least) and they haven’t been back in two hours.

Not.

StarkintheSouth · 07/03/2018 15:12

OMG One WHOLE hour?! The horror! CLEARLY she'll fail ALL her exams now...

Educating children about the LGBT+ community is a key step in reducing bigotry. We can all appreciate there have been devastating consequences to bullying and education is so important in this regard. Parents should also lead by example. As a sixth former she needs to understand the real world that she will soon be an adult in and understanding fellow human beings will enrich her in so many ways as well as benefit society,

The lanyards thing... what? YABU

SeniorRita · 07/03/2018 15:12

deeming anyone who disagreed with them re Brexit,general election as "uneducated"

They are uneducated, that's why they are at school.

blastomama · 07/03/2018 15:14

Educating children about the LGBT+ community is a key step in reducing bigotry. We can all appreciate there have been devastating consequences to bullying and education is so important in this regard. Parents should also lead by example. As a sixth former she needs to understand the real world that she will soon be an adult in and understanding fellow human beings will enrich her in so many ways as well as benefit society

Wouldn't you say that depends on how they do it and who is providing the lessons and what they say?
The group who told my 13 year olds class that boys can be girls if they want to be and that most people are bigots were not providing the type of education I want for my children (who are very well educated on LGB issues already!)

HouseworkIsASin10 · 07/03/2018 15:23

YANBU.

Even bloody Smirnoff are jumping on the bandwagon with their new advert FFS. There is no need to make vodka political!!

Gilead · 07/03/2018 15:25

Interesting choice of user name...

Anyway.

  1. Rainbow Lanyard. Not necessarily political, but what's wrong with being inclusive. Including LGBQT people is not excluding others. Grow up.
  2. Political discussions and how to have them are part of a well rounded curriculum.
  3. Funny, you've not been back...
PaddyF0dder · 07/03/2018 15:28

You are being ridiculous, petty and intolerant.

DiegoMadonna · 07/03/2018 15:29

OP hasn't come back after making such a controversial thread.... That's surprising!!

OuaisMaisBon · 07/03/2018 15:32

The rainbow flag was originally used in 1961, in a march for peace in Italy, and it continues to be used in that way nowadays. Don't knock it, please, it's lovely!

AIBU that I'm annoyed the college makes my dd wear rainbow lanyard?
BewareOfDragons · 07/03/2018 15:40

Wow. A whole entire hour dedicated to teaching and reminding students to be inclusive and that everyone is different.

Wow.

How horrendous for the delicate little flowers about to enter the real world.

Jaxhog · 07/03/2018 15:41

I don't agree with anyone forcing their views opinions and beliefs on people. Therefore on that basis YANBU.
This. Kids go to school to be educated not indoctrinated.

I support what I choose to. I will NOT have someone else's views imposed on me. Even if I agree with them. It's the imposition that I hate. I am an individual with my own opinions. Just because someone disagrees with me, doesn't make me thick, mean or 'socially unaware'. It makes the other person intolerant.

geekone · 07/03/2018 15:43

I like rainbows 🌈 Dorothy 👗and ruby slippers 👠
🦁 🌪

LonginesPrime · 07/03/2018 15:46

Then last month during tutorial they devoted a whole hour teaching the students what it meant to be lbgqt as well as what pan sexual,asexual gender neutral is. AIBU to feel that there are far more pressing things to teach the students rather than these issues

So spend an hour this weekend teaching her whatever you think is more pressing.

Bofster37 · 07/03/2018 15:48

I would have no problem if it were merely LGB that's being explained, but the T alliance are now taking this over and it is dangerous to women, so no, YANBU!

Babyroobs · 07/03/2018 15:51

Amongst my kids peer groups you are considered untrendy if you are not gay or Bi.

iloveruby · 07/03/2018 15:53

I do think there is an issue regarding the inclusion of ‘gender neutral’ when discussing issues of homosexuality etc as it implies that the concept of gender was being discussed as though it was an accepted truth, which in itself can reinforce harmful stereotypes.

I don’t think it is an unreasonable assumption for the OP to relate the rainbow lanyard to LGBT and assuming that is the case I do think it is unreasonable for the college to require students to wear them.

Offering student a choice of lanyard would be far more meaningful because then students could make a proactive decision to support the LGBT community.