Is gender ideology less prevalent in independent schools?

[OfficeBird]

I had an interesting discussion with DS (20). He's at quite a 'woke/left' university (aren't they all?) and now has many LGBT friends (although he is straight). It's clearly opened his eyes to all sorts of current issues and I suspect he is trying to make sense of it all.

He attended independent schools from age 8. Whilst not faith schools, both were aligned with the Christian faith and affiliated to a local church.

We talked about how much discussion they had in PHSE lessons about gender identity and he said "not much", but it was mostly broad brush about respecting differences and letting people express themselves. He was aware of gay kids and teachers and perhaps someone who was trans in a different year.

My sense is that independent schools are much more low key about it and don't need to succumb to the pressure from Stonewall et al in the education system?

I think he left school before it really got going.

It certainly was in the independent school my DC attended. The parents called the shots when it came to things like that though.

Yes they are more low key.

Many of the children there are very much focussed on sport, study, music etc. Longer days. And quite simply - they are occupied with other stuff to give much thought to this.

Really? Has it really just been in the last couple of years?

I guess I need to ask DS2 then, as he has just left sixth form.

@Atadaddicted

Yes they are more low key.

Many of the children there are very much focussed on sport, study, music etc. Longer days. And quite simply - they are occupied with other stuff to give much thought to this.

well yes, this does seem true - they forge their 'identities' through other things i.e. "the sporty one; the maths geek (in a good way!); the drama llama etc"

It's really taken off in the last 4 / 5 years in schools with this foolish government funding these creepy groups and giving them direct access to children in schools.
I listened Jo Rogan interviewing Abigail Shrier about the impact this has had on teenagers in the USA. She mentions the appalling 4,000 plus % increase in girls with 'socially acquired' ROGD in the UK and is really interesting to listen to. Maybe your son might find it informative?

www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=CtftWcgXjdg

No. it’s in every London school anyway. I looked around 10 or so for the DCs. Everyone had posters saying LGBTQ+ Rights Are Human Rights up - one of them had them in every classroom. I wanted to ask the Heads - what do you mean by queer rights and what are you teaching my 11 year old about this? But it never seemed like the right time.

Dd was asked if she wanted to join her independent girls school Pride society aged 11 - despite not apparently being LGBTQ+++ or having shown any interest in these topics. Her friend who is a member told her she had to come to learn the truth about transgender people - of course that’s who they centre - materials provided by Stonewall afaik. She’s 13 now and sees through the whole thing. Other other day she told me the girls who were non binary last year are now girls again but they are all vaping Although there is so much wrong with this ideology that did make me smile - teenage girls have not changed since I was that age in the 80’s.

I think DS is quite late to this really. He's a 'live and let live' sort of person, but he's also bright and has a STEM background, so is clearly conflicted about certain aspects.
He didn't join his friends at the campus pride events "I didn't feel it was something I wanted to do".

However I see some challenges ahead, as he is sharing a flat with a transwoman next year. Turns out it's someone who presented as male when he arrived at uni, but is now transitioning.

DS has heard my views on TWAW and TW in sport etc so I think he has split loyalties right now.

I'd say it can be worse in independent schools. It's a very white middle class phenomenon. St Paul's Girls' School has a lot of trans identifying students (just as 20 years ago eating disorders were rife there. I don't think it's a coincidence).

My school is Catholic and hasn't gone full Stonewall, so I think the faith element does have an impact as well.

I think it's largely an affluent white phenomenon. And independent schools are typically full of those types of kids so no, I don't think it's a State school thing.

It's not in my son's school, he is 13. His school is not independent but it is a Christian school, I did wonder if this has had a calming effect on school policy.

Of my friends, the ones whose schools have been hit by this the most are affluent home counties, both ‘good’ state and private.

My ds is in year 8 at a small independent in a rural area, with a Christian ethos. They focus on respect for all people, but that’s as far as it goes, so far.

It’s a school where traditional school uniform means skirts for girls and trousers for boys. No-one seems to protest, or at least not yet.

Not necessarily. I have recently discovered that what would be our first choice of secondary independent is a fucking Stonewall Bronze school. I'm gobsmacked, we are in conservative rural farming country. I haven't challenged them on it yet, I'm just working out how to start the conversation. Although it is co-ed, the school has single sex houses for changing rooms, common rooms etc and is quite sporty so christ knows how they are actually applying this in practice.

Also, another local independent girls school explicitly stated that admission was based on sex at birth when I checked their admissions policy last year. I checked again a couple of weeks ago and all reference to this has been removed. It is now silent on how they will determine who is a girl

I have recently discovered that what would be our first choice of secondary independent is a fucking Stonewall Bronze school.

If you end up not choosing them, a brief mention that this accreditation is what put you off might be an idea.

They might not be so keen to embrace the 'wall if they find out its losing them fee-paying parents.

@xanthangum, I certainly will. Its difficult because in other respects it is the better school and we are rural so not a great deal to choose from. But it would really, really stick in my throat. I guess in that situation I would just have to do my best to bring about change from the inside. It makes me so angry though, I would say we are in a part of the country where the predominant view would be "ooh, inclusivity, that's a nice kind thing to do" and that they would have been completely vulnerable to Stonewalling. Although it makes me think considerable less of their decision making and leadership.

I should really have an opinion here, as I'm not the sort of person who wants to send their child to a private school, but cheeseismydownfall, why would you pay to send your child to a school with this philosophy? Are the state schools even worse?