Advice on school policy and email from Headmaster

[jeaux90]

I wrote an email to the head of my DD9 school as I noticed the equality policy was not accurate. It had been recently amended to gender (for sex) and gender reassignment.

I wrote and explained it was inaccurate, he has amended back to its correct form today.

I want to get reassurance that they aren't going to get flippin allsorts or mermaids in. I have already sent the transgendertrend pack in.

Anyone else got an approach that worked for them or shall I just be brutal, ask the question and call gender ideology a bag of spanners?

I requested a meeting with my kids' headteacher. And I'm so glad I went. It was hugely reassuring. He really listened to me and noted things down. I brought him a copy of TT guidance and sent him some information afterwards as well.

He promised me he would never ditch single sex facilities in school. The school has designated some toilets unisex but these are all self-contained units (with loo, sink etc.).

That's good advice thanks.
I'm going to have to go and meet him aren't I. I have to have conversation.

Did you free flow the meeting or prepare some points?

The school has designated some toilets unisex but these are all self-contained units (with loo, sink etc.).

What a sensible, balanced approach.

Watching with interest. Our Primary has a parents meeting in a few weeks and I have been wondering about the Best approach. Starting with who is delivering it.

I wrote to him saying I wanted to talk to him about how the school's guidance on transgender pupils interacted with its safeguarding and child protection policies.

When I saw him, I spoke a lot about protecting the dignity of all young people but particularly girls.

He had experience of a trans child in a previous school and by all accounts handled it very sensitively. He absolutely understood my concerns.

I had to work hard to quell my instinct not to 'make a fuss' but then I kept thinking: I need to hear him say he will never put my daughter at risk and this is bloody important to me!

I recounted the whole conversation to all my kids afterwards because I also think it's important for them to know I have their back.

I'd encourage any other parent to go and see their headteacher. Face to face is always better than written communication.

Good luck!

In a strange turn of events I ended up talking to him today.

He thanked me for pointing out the mistakes in the policy, asked me my views etc

I explained my concerns about conflating sex with gender, the impact on safeguarding and current law. The rights of boys and girls to have private spaces and thanked him for making those things clear in their policy for field weeks etc

He asked if I was an expert or can advise on groups to go to, told him about Stephanie Davis Arai and Trangendertrend, but not to go to Mermaids. I think he was trying to research more into the area as he wrote SDA's name down.

He pointed out some of the issues of speaking about this. We discussed that he could raise it with his staff and I was pretty sure it's an area of concern for them they are keeping quiet on, that he should open the conversation with them.

Overall, a very positive conversation I'm happy to report. I am going to check back in on this with one of the PTA people regularly though.

I did use the buffy/Magdalen Berns quote when talking about some schools "minds are so open, their brains have fallen out"

I guess what I learnt is that the feedback on the policy opened up a conversation that he was keen to have.

Thats a good conversation! well done.