Mermaids response to piece in Mail tomorrow

[EweSurname]

Looking forward to seeing what drops

www.mermaidsuk.org.uk/press-enquiry-from-the-mail-on-sunday-25th-may-2019.html

We are very proud of the training we offer to schools and we have a proven record of helping teachers to support vulnerable children who simply want to get along with their lessons like any of their classmates.

We are disappointed to find that a school governor has made a covert recording of our training because our presentations are not held in secret and all of the scientific and legal information we offer is publicly available and well-tested.

We are surprised to see that a Church of England rector is complaining about our training when we are included in the CoE guidance on support for transgender people, which can be found here.

Part of the work of Mermaids is giving training talks to schools. These talks are well received and are an important part of how we promote an inclusive and informed approach to trans children and those who support them.

We have been contacted by the Mail on Sunday who are doing an article about one such talk. This post is our response, in accordance with our policy of posting our replies to media queries for the benefit of anyone interested in our activities.

There has been no discrediting of Michael Biggs' report into the Tavistock puberty blocker trial, which is what the trainer claimed.

Michael Biggs Analysis

Biggs asked a number of questions in that analysis. The Tavistock has refused to address any of them.

We've seen/heard this before though haven't we. As soon as anyone mentions anything they are told to stop being so academic or to send in their question etc

Slightly off topic, but some teachers are actually afraid of very bright, questioning children, because they are not so bright or able to field challenging questions themselves. Pupils can only be stretched as far as the teacher makes it possible.

No need for teacher bashing. The vast majority of teachers are educated to at least degree level.

That trainer reminds me of a cosmetic saleswoman, full of cod science and BS, but totally empowered and confident in her rightness to brainwash/bamboozle people into buying the product/swallowing the lies.

I thought I heard it said in the training that a child at their school was transititioning, so maybe that's why they are doing the training. Can imagine all the trendy Essex parents with their weird children's names, leaping on trans as the next fad to take up.

No need for teacher bashing. The vast majority of teachers are educated to at least degree level

I used to be a teacher, I'm simply reporting my observations - having taught in a variety off schools in diverse locations. It is true: many teachers are not very academic. And I've witnessed safeguarding concerns being suppressed.

....also just having a degree does not make one necessarily academic.
Heaven, we even see people with doctorates talking illogical nonsense.

Schools are bubbles. Teachers have little time to do actual critical thinking unless less they've studied it or teach it, especially primary.

As far as I can tell younger ones consult Twinkl fb groups and Pinterest.

I have huge admiration for this vicar; he sounded extraordinarily intelligent and the replies he got were embarrassingly abusive. This is an enormous thing has has done. The impact on his life and family will be huge but clearly he couldn't stand by and allow it.

Is the recording of this 'training' available? People seem to be referring to it and I can't find it. From the short clip, I'm 99% certain that 'trainer' is non other than Jelly Baby Jan.

I am a primary teacher.

I'm often astounded at the lack of intelligence among colleagues.

also just having a degree does not make one necessarily academic.

Absolutely.

I'm often criticised for being too academic. "Over thinking."

@myfoolishnotion
What are John's parishioners doing about this? Are you part of the community? They need to orchestrate letter writing and campaigning to the higher ups in support of John. It's outrageous that he's been forced out of his entire life for standing up for science, the law and vulnerable children

Is the recording of this 'training' available? People seem to be referring to it and I can't find it. From the short clip, I'm 99% certain that 'trainer' is non other than Jelly Baby Jan

It's linked to via the Mail itself - if you can find the article or link to it.

You need to open the article in a browser rather than a mobile page then it's right at the top @ancientlights

I'm often criticised for being too academic. "Over thinking

Absolutely! It's not just teachers, of course. Teachers are just human beings - and like most human beings most desire group belonging and community, over individualistic personal expression. People will suppress or deny all sorts in order to fit in or belong.

• “This is a wonderful children’s book. A really useful resource for discussing Diversity, and Gender Identity with Young People. A definite must-read for anyone discussing Diversity, Gender, or LGBT issues.” — Amazon review by Aimee Challenor*

LOL. I could almost think this was a full on irony / coded message alert review. Surely it is not really from AC?

I used to be a teacher, I'm simply reporting my observations - having taught in a variety off schools in diverse locations. It is true: many teachers are not very academic. And I've witnessed safeguarding concerns being suppressed

And now the people we could complain to such as nspcc etc have all been sucked in too.

I am terrified for the children. The consequences of all of this are heartbreaking. And no one is looking at the people behind it all.

Place marking

Ex-primary here too.

I just don’t think it’s useful to say, well some teachers aren’t too bright so what do we expect? The vast majority of teachers are not stupid.

It is more school culture that causes problems. Dissent in any form can lead to people being managed out, especially if they are older, more expensive staff.

Juststhought thanks. I keep losing the Mail website: comes up 'site cannot be reached'. Suspicious?

I kept getting that too. Did all that "congratulations" buggy and site stuff

I've never had a problem clicking on articles before...

That statement Jan made about governors is terrifying, A school's Governing Body carries the legal liability for what goes on in a school. Of course governors should be able to analyse and comment about everything to do with "gender identity" ideology before it is pushed into any school, as they would with anything else. They would be failing in their legal duty if they did not do this.

This. There are massive liability issues here.

My hunch would be that school culture had a lot to do with the problem here. Early on in that recording the vicar tried to get permission to circulate some written material he'd brought with him. I wondered if it might the Transgender Trend toolkit, but from something he said it might have been copies of various press articles and blogs. I was very struck that the headteacher asked for a show of hands from her staff on whether any of them wanted to get John's handouts. Not surprisingly nobody said yes. Is it still the case that headteachers do performance reviews? Hardly a free and open forum to express a dissenting view.

John the vicar comes across as intelligent, polite and a man of great integrity. CofE are mad to lose this man over gender-jelly-babies ideology.

From that video clip - "If you're a man who identifies as a woman, and is attracted to men, then you're straight" - ah yes, trans away the gay.

This very week a prominent transman on twitter has been telling hetero women that a transman with a dildo is absolutely no different from a man - and is in fact better, because you could have a different dildo for every day of the week A dildo is not a penis. A female with a strap-on is not a man.

That headteacher in the recording! 'Put your hand up if you disagree with me, your boss, who can then fuck your entire career'.
That was bullying.
Jan the trainer is a peach, isn't she? If you are as aggressive as that you can get away with all sorts of lies because no one will dare question you.
Anyway, apologies if it has been posted but here is a petition re Mermaids
www.change.org/p/uk-government-stop-mermaids-delivering-training-sessions-to-public-services?recruiter=965428385&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=share_petition&recruited_by_id=38ec6930-7f8b-11e9-aaad-0fb31c40161f

Thanks codename I'm on my phone so maybe I need to switch to lap top.

Have they taken the recording down from the Mail?? I can't see it anymore.

The Headteacher was vile.