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?

Where has OP said that her child is autistic?
She said that she has SEN. If she's given details of the diagnosis, I missed it.

The danger is that, to validate this teacher's personal beliefs, children in his class will be taught that sex is optional, rather than an immutable reality.

So if as they grow up they have feelings of being 'different', or are unhappy about their changing body, or don't fit into the stereotypes imposed on their sex, or feel sexually attracted to someone of the same sex, they might think that 'changing their sex' is a reasonable solution to their problem.

Ah, you're right, that's my error. My kid is going through an autism assessment and I have it on the brain right now!

How do you know that? You don't know what this person chooses to wear.

By that there is no reason to suppose this teacher is any more of a risk than any other man. Do you think we shouldn't have any male teachers? That might be the safeguarding hold standard but then we lose other benefits.

a) how silly

b) It makes a difference whether the ideology has any factual basis or is just a subjective feeling. The teacher is a man, whether or not he feels that he fits with his concept of how a stereotypical man "should" feel. The pronouns for men are "he, him, his". Teaching young children that they mustn’t trust their natural instincts about who is male and who is female is a very dodgy position to take.

I don’t believe that someone who puts their personal, subjective feelings about gender ideology before the needs and natural instincts of the young children he teaches can be a good teacher.

Most teachers get on with their jobs and don’t seek to mistreat children. But because some do, they are all lumped together and have to obtain DBS clearance in order to work in schools.
Just because most <insert categories of people here> are absolutely OK doesn’t mean that all are.

I assumed autism too just because of her age. Other SEN diagnosis are rarely done before school age.

I'm not sure that's true. Everyone's sex is known at birth or for a very small number soon after birth following the results of a chromosome test.

So while I agree we might not KNOW the sex of everyone we pass in the street the sex of these people is KNOWN and recorded.

Last time I accepted a job and filled out the paperwork I had to say what sex I was. So my boss KNOWS what sex I am because I filled out a form. She didn't need to inspect my boobs or vagina.

I am making an assumption that when teachers accept jobs they have to fill out paperwork and do DBS.....do they have to state what sex they are on the forms or is it no longer asked?

It sounds like the school in the OP KNOW what sex the teacher is. The OP states they are a man and it sounds like the school have said this (seeing as OP hasn't seen him yet). So the individual must have told his new employer that he's biologically male. The same way I KNOW the sex of my employees' because they have filled out paperwork telling me.

Of course he’s no more risk than any other man at the point of starting.

My issue is him starting out on day one forcing children to lie in order to validate his feelings… which will make him a bigger risk.

Yes, this. My dd is very rational and therefore questions everything a lot. But once she has an explanation she's happy and she moves on. Unexplained difference or change freaks her out, but generally she's very accepting of people. Possibly because she knows what it's like to feel 'different'. As I said up thread, she'd find talk of moving schools far more unsettling - especially when she's got such an amazing school who is supportive of her needs.

Totally agree with @AnnaFrith It's an unknown - the teacher will be having conversations daily with the students (obviously) and to what extent will the idea that boys who don't like traditionally male things are actually trans be put across? You'd like to think it wouldn't be, but if this is the sincerely held belief of the teacher then of course their perspective will come across.

so using Ms to make a statement then.

Decades ago some people would have rolled their eyes at this, in decades to come maybe Mx would become as mainstream.

You can't only support changes to the status quo when you agree with the agenda.

THIS TEACHER IS NOT TRANGENDER.

What's the lie? That you can't be referred to how you like, even though it has no bearing on anyone else.

Is non-binary not under the trans umbrella anymore? It certainly was according to Stonewall.
and why are you shouting?

It’s not unreasonable to suppose that an adult male who doesn’t understand what sex is might have unconventional ideas about it. Trans prisoners have a higher rate of sexual offending than the general male population, and, until recently, non-binary came under the Stonewall definition of transgender, I believe.
Of course, it’s more likely that this teacher is simply easily confused and has jumped on the non binary bandwagon to try and resolve other personality issues.

The lie is that he is not a man.

'They're non-binary, but they won't mention it'.
LOL.

Do you lot moaning that his ideas might permeate the skulls of your children not want gay teachers either? Or religious ones? Who can become a teacher?

Someone who believes in the Black Lives Matters movement? Are they OK? Pacifists? Someone who follows a particular political party?

the teacher for next year is a non-binary/‘non-gender-conforming’ man

He hasn't said he isn't a man. He literally has said he is a man in the OPs first post

What is your understanding of non-binary?

Do you think he’s saying he’s a non-binary man?
or that op is saying he’s a man?

But they're literally referring to themselves as a gender non-conforming MAN?

Oh wait. I just realised that might have been OP's own words. I wish she'd clarify.

Do the gay teachers expect their 6 year old students to validate their sexuality?