Non-binary teacher?

[Thompson198]

Name change.
I’ve got a 5 year old daughter due to go into year 2 in September. We’ve just been told that the teacher for next year is a non-binary/‘non-gender-conforming’ man who wants to be referred to by ‘Mx’ (pronounced mix) and they/them pronouns.
Quite a few of the parents have already complained and started looking for other places at local schools because of this.
what do you think?
My daughter has SEN and is one of the youngest in her class, I worry how she’s going to be able to keep up with the pronouns and understand this without us having to teach her about gender ideology at her age. My husband is extremely against teaching her gender ideology, especially so young, I’m not the most positive about it either but don’t feel as strongly as him. He also doesn’t want her being at the school in September but they have been very supportive for her so far and I’m concerned it might not be the same elsewhere.
Thoughts? How would you feel if this was your child’s teacher?

I wouldn’t be happy at all. He’s a man and 6 year olds shouldn’t have to pander to this utter nonsense

Sorry I thought I read it was a man I didn’t but either way refer to them by their actual sex

Ffs I’ve just woken up, ignore me on the second post 🤣

How about wait to see if they’re a good teacher?

I think addressing someone as a Mr/Mrs/Miss/Mx is just a common courtesy. It doesn’t equate to teaching gender ideology. It’s just the teacher’s preferred name.

Judge the teacher and the school on their work, not their identity.

Well I think it’s meaningless - if he means he’s a not especially masculine man he’s free to be that without anyone needing to call him they or Mx.

If the school have done a good job prepping for your daughter then you have to balance that against this - as does your husband. So have a look at the alternatives and make a call then.

I’m not sure honestly the average 4 year old would absorb much, but you know your daughter.

The fact that I had to read your sentence about the gender, several times, says it all. Ridiculous pushing of boundaries, which parents and children are expected to comply with.

You'd think....

Nope I would not be teaching my ND child to pander to this. This is not a suitable ideology to be peddling to children.

My eyes would roll so far back in my head that I might never see in front of me again.

I’d be making it very clear to my child that this is a man even if he likes to be less masculine than some other men, and his name is his name, but beyond that if the school has so far supported her I don’t know if I would move her at this stage.

I was coming to post this.

By you using their name and address them as Mx and the correct pronouns your DC will likely just follow. Your DC will not know anything different.

Are they a new teacher? How did the current year 2 find it?

I would be looking for alternative schools. Pressing this nonsensical bollocks on 6 year olds shows that the teacher and the school does not have the children’s best interests at heart.

If your child can handle Mr or Miss or Mrs then I'm sure Mx won't be a problem, you don't really need to go much deeper than that.

Jesus Christ just from your post alone I can feel the pitchforks being sharpened from here, no thought as to the quality of teaching this teacher may provide

"I worry how she's going to keep up with the pronouns"
Don't worry, teachers get used to that! I've been called "Sir", "Mum" and even "Nan", no biggie.

Yes brand new teacher. Old teacher has just had a baby and has said she’s not coming back for a few years at least

I would struggle to pronounce 'mx'. I genuinely have no idea how to say it...I don't know how a small child would. Why can't they be referred to by their first name? That would be easier.

And I personally think it's completely unreasonable to expect very young children to be able to remember to use they/them pronouns....I would struggle as an adult because I have spent my entire life using he/she based on sex and to unlearn that is not easy.

He’s also an ECT if that’s relevant so first year teaching

The naming/title is a small issue. I would be most worried by it seeping into teaching like through carpet time stories pushing gender ideology, comments like "or she could be a boy". You won't know what goes on in the classroom.

Mx isn't the same as Mr/Mrs/Miss though. The latter 3 apply to reality, the first one doesn't.
He's Mr, whether he denies that reality or not.

Is the teacher new to the school? Mx isn’t an issue, but learning details about pro nouns and calling them ‘they’ would be overkill for 5 year olds, being SEN doesn’t make a difference to that. I’d check with the school about how it will be handled because if it’s simply a name thing ‘Mx’ rather than ‘mrs or me’ it’s not a big deal.

This ⬆️. There is a shortage of good teachers. If this person does their job well, that's all that matters.

Good teachers don’t oblige children to deny reality or force them to use words that are incorrect.

This is not someone prioritising the children.

Hmmmm I have an idea…!

… just …. get on with your life.
Your DD will be told the teacher’s name is Mx Teacher and she will get on with her life!

Meanwhile you DD will continue to thrive in the supportive school she has settled in!

Or you could take your DD out of the school where she is settled and happy , without being even able to really explain why, all because of your extreme intolerance for / aversion to someone who’s a bit different to you in a way you don’t like and understand.

This. Cannot wait till all this pandering bullshit stops.
Tell them dc and your family identify as members of The High Fallutian David Icke Lizard People, and all members of the family must be greeted and addressed by the term, 'Most Honourable Imperial Majesty'...

He can be male and be any personality, any level of masc/fem/ neither he likes and still realise that being called he/ a man refers to this sex only and not what he's like.

To think that 'man' means you have a certain type of brain or personality is sexist and I'd worry that the kids are being told there are genders that match one sex or another, rather than being told either sex can be anything.

The most gender-non-conforming thing he can do is identify as a man while not being a stereotype but instead he's reinforcing them.

I don't know what I'd do. Calling him Mx wouldn't bother me too much, it's more about the entrenched gender views.