AIBU to think 5 year olds do not need to learn about gender and pronouns in their maths lesson in the name of diversity

[2fallsagain]

Honestly, this is getting ridiculous. It's #SchoolDiversityWeek. (which actually just covers gender and some sexuality, nothing on race, religion, or disability) which appears to be a week completely made up by a charity called Just Like Us.

The guidance and resources completely contravene the Education Act (on political impartiality) and the DfE guidelines on using resources from credible sources. The DfE also says that schools should not suggest non-adherence to stereotypes means a child may be trans. Again, these resources are riddled with it.

These resources are pretty bad, but this maths lesson for 5-7-year-olds is frankly bizarre. It's confusing, it doesn't need to be there, does nothing to actually address homophobia or bullying, and smacks of indoctrination. The same-aged kids are also told in assembly that some people will feel like a boy, some will feel like a girl and some will feel like neither.

twitter.com/SafeSchools_UK/status/1406897450892333059?s=20

All of the resources also undermine safeguarding. I wonder if schools have checked that people working for Just Like Us have gone through safer recruitment.

Fuller thread here.
twitter.com/SafeSchools_UK/status/1406253615711494149?s=20

If my five year old was taught this is would be furious.

Five year olds are only just learning English properly. They do not need to learn this nonsense about pronouns (never mind the maths!).

We will teach our five year old generally in an age appropriate way that we are kind and inclusive to everyone and that everyone regardless of whether they are a girl or a boy or whatever is free to live their lives as they wish. In the same way that we teach that we treat everyone with the same respect and kindness regardless of their race, or if they have two mummies or daddies or a different family set up to us, or a disability etc etc etc. I will not have school putting stupid ideas into a small child's head about changing from a girl to a boy and I certainly won't allow them to teach that you can change sex (because that is bad science!!).

Honestly the world we are living in at the moment is a mess!

YANBU. That crap should not be in schools.

It seems to be hurting those who aren't NT. In my DD's case she felt like a misfit for years and finally there is a reason for it. I know 3 ftm transgender DC the 3 of them are on the autistic spectrum.
I'm not claiming all transsexuals are on the spectrum however there is clearly a link in todays increase with gender confusion.

@superduster

Yes, there is random shit on the internet. There is no need to put it on here and be outraged every time you find some new rubbish. Just because it is made and online doesn't mean it will get near a classroom.

And that’s how it becomes mainstream because no one calls it out

If Harley has any sense they will ask their other classmates first before getting more water . I bet quite a few of them are allergic to water and only drink filtered yaks milk or organic coconut water that has been harvested under a full moon.

And why are they buying in bottles of water in the first place ? Shouldn’t they be using their own non toxic environmentally friendly drink containers .

Proper lol 🤣🤣🤣

On a pedantic note,

"Harley (who uses they/them/their pronouns to refer to themselves)..."

means that Harley uses they/them/their instead of first person pronouns (I/me/mine). What they should have written:

"Harley (who wants other people to use they/them/their pronouns when referring to Harley)..."

Imagine being an NQT and being told to use this bolt-on nonsense with your KS1 class! What have Harley's gender identity and preferred pronouns got to do with how much water the runners need? Is this really the best they can do?

People wonder why kids are so fucked up.

I'm an 80's child, things were so much simpler.

I actually despise how ridiculous our society has become.

Absolutely ridiculous. There is a class at my DD’s (girls) school where at least half of them have suddenly changed their name to male names. This is year 8. God help the 5 year-olds.

Absolute rubbish. I pray my 5 year old isn’t exposed to this. He has enough to learn without this extra confusion!

I saw this elsewhere. Talk a little crowbarring a theme into a session!

So glad my kids are past school age or I would be home schooling

Me too - and I’d be stuffed since ds outstripped me in maths and science yonks ago.

Please do make sure you complain to the school and governors.

@superduster

Yes, there is random shit on the internet. There is no need to put it on here and be outraged every time you find some new rubbish. Just because it is made and online doesn't mean it will get near a classroom.

This is absolutely getting into classrooms. I'm a pshe teacher and I see Just Like Us recommended a lot. They are running a 'diversity' week this week in many schools.

Valancy do the schools who use it not pay any heed to DfE guidelines, safeguarding or even the law?

I just want to go and live on a different planet now. Thank god mine have left school.

Diversity week should encompass all aspects of diversity at an age appropriate level. No groups should be left out, so where are the maths problems using people with disabilities, ethnic groups etc. Age appropriate material is also vital, tell a five year old they can be a dog by putting on a tail and furry ears and they will believe you. Many believe that there is a man who can come down chimneys and leave them presents for god's sake. Tell them that they are a boy if they like football and they'll believe that this is literally true. Not only is this reinforcing stereotypes but you are introducing the idea to children that there is something wrong with them if they like things outside of their gender norms.

There is no need to put it on here and be outraged every time you find some new rubbish

Well that would be mumsnet completely fucked if it were left up to you…

Unless they're learning about the binary numeral system.....

@RufustheBadgeringReindeer

There is no need to put it on here and be outraged every time you find some new rubbish

Well that would be mumsnet completely fucked if it were left up to you…

Aha. More insane shit.

This is brainwashing.

Report the school to Ofsted for breach of the DofE rules and also for discrimination (by over focusing on trans issues instead of giving equal time to disability equality, sex equality, race equality - the government’s lawyers have warned them they run the risk of being sued for diverting too much time and money from the anti-discrimination budget to one tiny group at the expense of the other victims of discrimination). Tell the head and the teacher what you have done. That might change something.

@superduster

Yes, there is random shit on the internet. There is no need to put it on here and be outraged every time you find some new rubbish. Just because it is made and online doesn't mean it will get near a classroom.

If it were just random shit on the internet you would be right, but this is a training course for schools.