“You can’t say “he” or “she” anymore, you have to say “the”.

[Mycatismadeofstringcheese]

Just had a chat with my 13 year old niece. Apparently when she goes back to school in September they have been told that they can’t say “he” or “she” any more, they have to say “the” and gave the example, “The hit me”.

My niece couldn’t explain why, just that they have to do it.

Apparently my brother and SIL think it is ridiculous but don’t want to complain or cause trouble.

This is in Suffolk. Is anyone else aware of anything like this? For a second I thought she was joking until I realised she was absolutely serious.

I’m so upset and frustrated by this.

I don’t know if the needs to be pronounced with a short e sound like in “the house” or with a long e sound like “thee” to rhyme with he and she.

She said it was the.

Even if it's "they" it's complete and utter woke bollocks. The pronouns "he" and "she" refer to biological sex and are correct

I for one do not want to ever be referred to as 'the'.

Whether it’s the or they she’s so nervous about going back because she’s worried she’s going to forget and make a mistake and get into trouble.

And not at my DC school. If anything my DC's primary are still a bit backwards to the point I think they need to catch up a little, with out going full on woke.

I didn’t ask, but I’d put money on them having mixed sex toilets.

How very strange. If I was a parent I would be asking for an explanation. Eg how might this impact on the students’ progress in English. I can’t imagine them doing too well in their creative writing if they write “... and the went to the shops... “

Bizarre. Can you convince a bolshy teen to claim that misgendering them in such a way is a literal crime?

Sorry, I meant literal violence I think

Maybe it is they and she’s got confused but that just shows how confusing it is.

If you are sure this is true, why can you not name the school?

She’s not a bolshy teen. She’s gentle and sensitive. She’s never in trouble. I really feel for her.

I don’t know the name of the school. I don’t live locally to them and the school name has never come up in conversation.

Even if I did know it I would be wary of posting anything that could identify and cause trouble for my niece.

Literally never heard of that. Are you sure she's right? Sounds like she's winding you up with "the"

@Mycatismadeofstringcheese

I don’t know the name of the school. I don’t live locally to them and the school name has never come up in conversation.

Ok no problem. If you want to DM me once you find out, I'm happy to check what the deal actually is.

I don’t think she was winding me up, she’s not that type. She could be confused though and it is actually they. Either was it’s bizarre.

I think it’s an academy and super strict. The detention for breathing wrongly type. Zero tolerance. That’s why she’s worried.
I know general location but not name.

What does "apparently" mean in your op? Someone in authority somewhere just verbally said this? How unusual!

OP think you need to ask MNHQ to rename this thread:

"There might be a school, possibly academy somewhere in Suffolk, name unknown, where according to a possibly confused 13 yr old you can’t say “he” or “she” anymore, you have to say “the” ....or maybe it's "they" "

If I were you I'd make sure I knew a bit more before I get 'upset and frustrated'

"There might be a school, possibly academy somewhere in Suffolk, name unknown, where according to a possibly confused 13 yr old you can’t say “he” or “she” anymore, you have to say “the” ....or maybe it's "they" "

What you just said - sounds like a half heard conversation to me!
I'd be wanting to know exactly what was said, as sounds a load of rubbish!

I said apparently because I didn’t ask my niece for written proof of what she told me when I asked her about looking forward to going back to school. It was a short conversation.

Do you mean "zhe" - the gender-neutral pronoun?