On the way home from work heard on the news that Local Government authorties have been told that teachers will be 'ordered' (in my county at least) to undertake 'sexuality training' in order to better understand homosexual issues. May also have to allow gay and lesbian pressure groups to have contact with students - this apparently has been part of a response to the repealing of a law.
Well I went ballistic in the car... as a teacher and a parent this makes me sooooo wild. I am teaching kids with a number of spcial needs - in mainstream classes. In fact every child in one of my classes has an IEP. I have no training and am just thankful for the brilliant CSA's and the SENCO at our school who has provided us with some information and support in teaching these children.
So I am going to be trained how to deal with homosexuality issues but not how to better educate children with Special Needs.
I have no problem with homosexuality but I am angered that I cannot have training in something that impacts on me every day - three or four times a day... and as a parent of a child with SN who is fully aware that my child will have staff who have no idea about Down's syndrome and if they do it will probably not be the best or most accurate information.
While nothing official has been said at school - I am off to the Head to see if it is definitely going ahead and to decide what to do next... I am in the process of writing letters to various MP's and trying to get more information.