Boys not allowed at school ballet class

[chocolateisnecessary]

So - a mum at the school has started a ballet class after school for reception and won't admit boys.
She keeps giving different reasons - it's art not sport, boys don't stick with it, they need to be trained differently etc.
The teachers take the girls to the hall at the end of the day before pick up so he's very aware he's not going. Basically, he's in floods each week.
I spoke to the head who said it's a hire and not school policy so there's nothing she can do.
I think that's wrong, that there should be an equal ops policy that they push through with hires.
Does anyone have any knowledge on this before I go see her again?

Have to say my son's ballet teacher gets a group of 4 and 5 yr old boys and girls to behave beautifully. Gender doesn't come into behaviour, especially in well taught lessons...

As I woman who has spent her life fighting a male dominated work environment (geologist) and been mainly interested in what are typically male dominated sports (martial arts, boxing etc).... I am starting to see the flip side with my DS.
In the guise of nurturing girls and women, many things are made even more difficult for boys than ever. One of these is dance. My DS loves dancing, ballet in particular and the whole system is now set up to make it more difficult for them, from this kind of malarkey, to the business of putting all the girls in 'pretty pink' for ballet. Do you know what it's like for a little boy to walk into a class of 30+ girls dressed in pink. My son went with a friend, his friend took one look and walked out, my DS went in anyway. It took balls to do that.
In our attempt to nurture girls and try to get equality for them ( and rightly so) we are forgetting the boys. I personally think that the only places which should be single sex are toilets and changing rooms. If a ballet teacher can't teach boys, I would be questioning her qualification, if she has any.

Socksey, you went to the wrong school. All the examining bodies have a variety of regulation dance uniform for dance teachers to choose from, and pink is by no means the only choice for girls - for instance my dd went to a school where the girls wore blue leotards with no tutus in sight. They boys wore white t-shirts and blue shorts, with black leather shoes.

Larger dance schools often have specific classes for boys only (the syllabus is slightly different for them anyway) and do everything they can to encourage boys to join.

He started in an RAD school and for the age 6 group it's all pink.... years ago when I was his age we were all in black.
We live in a small town so there's not much choice but as he's showing an interest, I've found a better teacher (ISTD syllabus) and the uniform is a little less off putting for the boys....
Obviously in neither case are the boys in pink, but it's difficult for boys who are continually being told that pink is girlie to walk into that sea of pink and be comfortable.
No school that I have found locally have specific boys classes, however, his current teacher does really put more effort into the boys and there are a few in his grade 1 class. He loves it

Are you sure? All the RAD accredited schools round here have blue uniform for pre primary kids (and white with black shorts for boys).
In almost 12 years of ballet classes with dd, I've yet to see a single candy pink leotard. There's a deep raspberry shade much later on, (grade 4, iifc) but not for beginners.

My DC dance RAD and wear lilac from preschool to grade 1, then light blue, then dark blue. So there must be teacher discretion colour wise.

I'm a dance teacher myself and any qualified teacher worth their salt would welcome a boy dancer into their class with glee - Especially a ballet teacher as the smallest bit of talent in a boy has a strong possibility of getting an audition to a national ballet/royal ballet school.

I'd ask to see her qualifications and insurance

RAD have a choice of pre primary colours. It used to be pink, blue or white leotards with a voile circle skirt for the girls but now it's a choice of pink, lilac or marine with a matching wrap skirt.

Boys wear a blue or white t shirt with black or navy shorts.

The RAD girls regulation uniform for grades 1-3 can be pink, lilac, marine blue, mulberry, lavender or navy so quite a choice for teachers there. It certainly doesn't have to be pink at all. In fact, the regulations state that candidates are not marked based on the uniform worn, so basically it could be any colour, although in practice teachers pick one of the regulation colours.

I think the school he used to go to use lilac for grade 1.... but definitely pale pink for pre primary and primary.... either way that school was a not particularly good ( for other, non uniform related issues) so when it looked like he was enjoying it is ( not sure how good he has to potential to be) I found a better teacher, who happens to be ISTD. She put him into the grade 1 class and it's a smaller class and he's loving it.... more boys too and she presents both the boy and girls syllabus.
But back to the OPs original topic as we are getting sidelined..... it seems really odd that the teacher would not welcome a boy I to the class.... the reasons given seem a little off...

I have sons interested in dancing and this situation (and Irvine's response) is horrible. When boys enjoy performing arts it is one thing to say "just go to an outside school" but if the culture of their Primary/Secondary school is that only girls are allowed to enjoy dance (for whatever reason) then they are likely to be teased and marginalised. If the school's stance is that all boys and girls can try, enjoy and achieve in any subject or interest then the whole school vibe will be much better. I'd rather my children go to school B!

Irvine would you accept a boys only football science club if your daughter wanted to go? Especially if the excuse is the teacher is male and thinks girls are too emotional or something equally stereotypical?

DS attends a school that has many mixed classes and a boys only for all ages, like a PP has explained. This is positive discrimination and doesn't disadvantage girls at all.

OP: I hope you get some joy and an apology and he enjoys his weekend classes.

pizzatray, I don't have a dd, only ds. And my ds is kind of a boy who loves cooking , sewing and hates football, so I don't have stereotypical view of what boys should do and girls should do.

I just think there should be lots of different clubs, and I just don't see the problem in some teachers having preference in private clubs.
Some clubs are serious, some are just for fun. We choose clubs or teachers for different reasons.
So I just wondered why do all the teachers have to teach everyone?

Irvine it's called sexual discrimination. Look it up

Irvine what would you do if your school set up sewing and cooking clubs and your DS was barred as he was a boy and he ended up in tears every day?!?!? Its a school and its sex discrimination. The two should never be in the same sentance.

smellyboot, If the school set up the club, yeah I agree, it's not right.
But in OP's case, mum is hiring school to run a private club.
Ds' school have private and school run clubs only for KS1+ or for KS2 children. There are girl's netball club. Or year 3/4 football club, or computer clubs for year5/6, etc. So some clubs cannot be accessible for all the children . Is that an age/sex discrimination?

I don't know, only thing I understand is I must be in wrong to think this way, and said what I thought on this thread.
As for sewing club, ds attended it for 2 years in KS1. He was always only boy. And I don't think I argued if it was girl only club. I would find other club for him, or I teach him myself if I can. If I strongly disagreed with the teachers' view, I wouldn't want the teacher to be teaching my ds in the first place anyway, if it was my choice.
Why force somebody to teach your dc, if somebody shows clear resistance, is my stance.

I guess then yes, the teacher could set up a girls only ballet class if she so wants to, but a primary schoo is not an appropriate venue if sold as an aferschool activity. Schools should champion equality and ensufre thats what DC learn to expect.

Irvine it was a hypothetical question really but I'm baffled as to why you can't see this is wrong on every level.

I don't have daughters either but I would defend other people's DD's rights to equality.

As I said this is a school culture issue, there is no place for sexual discrimination in a Primary School. Fine, have a boys class and a girls class if the woman really can't cope but the school need to provide for boys if they provide for girls and bring in some non-discriminatory teachers too, although I bet all the girls would want to go to the more inclusive and fun claass!

I would suggest this woman sounds inadequate if she can't cope with one 5-year-old boy who loves dance.