Am I overreacting to this teacher’s comment?

[queenkettricken]

I’ll start by saying that I’m a teacher myself -primary. My daughter is in year 7 at high school and today her personal development teacher was talking about stereotypes. He mentioned the stereotype that English women go abroad on holiday, get really drunk and sleep with lots of men.

I’m shocked by the reference to sleeping with lots of people and want to email the school but honestly don’t know if I’m overreacting. I teach in UKS2 and cannot imagine touching on this subject even at the very end of year 6.

Should I accept that this is high school and that stuff like this is ok? Or am I right to be shocked that my 11 year is being exposed to this.

I see that quite a few posters generally supporting the teacher’s approach have been back to the thread, but no-one has replied to my question. And I really don’t mean it as some sort of ‘gotcha’, I’m just really interested to know what you think. Anybody?

Why are you wanting to grab attention and shock- this is education we are talking about , not the X Factor. This kind of dumbing down in education and talking about sexual stereotypes to 11 year olds who have no idea what sex is like in practise is just hugely inappropriate.

But he said it was a stereotype not that it's true...........

Sounds like an average day on mumsnet....

Well presumably as a teacher you'd recognise they were saying it was a stereotype not the truth.

I’m confused about most replies being annoyed about the sexist stereotype but seemingly totally fine with unnecessary talk about casual sex with 11 year olds. Is this kind of thing normal in year 7?

I think it is completely inappropriate for that age group, and he could have used other examples. Not sure if it’s a moment of stupidity, or something more concerning, but either way it needs addressing imo

1. grabbing attention Getting the kids' attention is fundamental to teaching.

2)The point of the lesson was to demonstrate that stereotypes cause negative feeling such as upset, unfairness, outrage!

I think he did well on both counts.

Furthermore it is unlikely he planned the psche lesson himself.The content of PCSHE lessons (IME as a primary teacher anyway) is quite prescriptive.

How vile. British men are worse (in terms of the stereotype). Somehow, he forgot to mention that?!

So you were there?

Please tell us what else happened in the lesson?

I'm not sure if this lesson in stereotypes is a good idea, it might be well intended but also can put the idea into a child's head which can actually perpetuate the stereotype. So in principle I don't like it. If however other examples of stereotypes were given, then I think its fair enough. I think this is very much stereotype of British women held by many Europeans unfortunately. That's the thing about stereotypes, they are cruel and offensive and it's hard to hear when it's about your own race or culture.

I think he was referring to white women. There is definitely a stereotype of white English women going on holiday and sleeping around- think of ibiza

I've just come back to this thread, and I am staggered by:
A) how many of you haven't grasped the concept of stereotypes, and believe that the teacher was actually stating that this was true if all British women. Of course he wasn't! The whole POINT of the lesson was, clearly, to show that stereotypes are false and upsetting.

B) how many of you think Year 7s don't, and shouldn't, know about sex. Actually find that quite scary - have you any idea how vulnerable it makes your children to abuse, keeping them in this kind of age-i appropriate ignorance? I mean, unless you home school you won't be able to. OF COURSE year 7 children know about sex. But even the attempt. Strange and bewildering.

Thoss of you who object to this choice of stereotype, would you please tell me what stereotypes you would be happy for him to use as examples? If naming stereotypes is offensive, which group is it ok to offend?.

Or should he simply provide no examples?

Or perhaps we should leave the children in ignorance of the entire concept of stereotyping. You honestly think that's the better plan?.

@Ilovelurchers
I’m intrigued how you think normalising sleeping around is going to help protect 11 year olds from sexual abuse?

It just seems a bit creepy and off to me. I’d go as far as to say it’s the kind of boundary crossing that abusers might utilise rather than somehow being protective.

Why don’t you address the posts of those who don’t fall into these categories of posters you so condescendingly sweep aside? I object to the teacher’s example, and I don’t fall into your A or B category ie I fully understand the concept of stereotypes thanks, and I don’t think year 7s shouldn’t know anything about sex.

Funnily enough I’ve already given examples of what the teacher could have said, off the top of my head, ages ago, and I could easily think of more. I’ve also asked a question of those who support the teacher’s approach, which has been completely ignored.

Your post is framed as if you’re summarising the position of the objectors, when actually I think you’re just picking out the points which are most easy to scoff at and ignoring the rest.

Yes!

He was talking about stereotypes, and that is a stereotype. He didn’t say it was an accurate stereotype. I wonder how this generation are going to cope when they grow up and have to do with real life without mummy.

This is racist against English people. If it was anybody else but the English there would be hell to pay.

I’m absolutely convinced that the vast majority of parents in real life would share this view. For some reason people are determined to be contrary on here. And yes, I understand stereotypes and that it was meant to be a talking point. It’s just wholly inappropriate to drag in drunkenness and shagging around when you’re talking to 11 year old girls.

I don't understand the OP. What is "high school"? We don't have this in England. Is the OP foreign?

There are literally hundreds of high schools in England 🤔

Yes we do. 'High school' is a fairly common alternative name for 'secondary school' in the UK anyway, and quite a few secondary schools in the UK are actually called '...' High School. The one I attended was, and there are a couple in the area where I live now which are too.