Please help me talk to school about Proud Trust!

[Puffincrossing]

Our school has sent an email saying that they are about to start teaching SRE. They encourage children to attend all lessons but we as parents have the right to withdraw them from some of we wish. One of the topics being covered is gender identity. I sent a polite email to the Head of PSHE asking how this would be covered. She responded saying it was taught with sympathy, kindness and acceptance and that staff had been trained by The Proud Trust and she hoped to have them in again this summer to talk to all children.

I have raised the reasons I think The Proud Trust are unsuitable as they go against DfE guidelines and occasionally the law. They are the makers of the dice game and I have asked if this is used in school. I also copied the Headteacher in.

The response I got from the Head was that gender is a protected characteristic and that the school do not work with The Proud Trust . I've replied with more questions and this morning the deputy has called to ask if I would like to come in and talk to him and the head of PSHE about my concerns.

I need to be 100% prepared with facts. I know many of them but wanted to ask what would you definitely include if you had this opportunity?

Thank you in advance. I feel this is a great chance for change and I don't want to fuck it up!

Oh god the dice game. Horrific.

In haste OP is this page of any help
safeschoolsallianceuk.net/resources-2/letter-templates/

Before the meeting I'd ask for clarification of what they mean when they say:
a) staff had been trained by The Proud Trust and she hoped to have them in again this summer to talk to all children, and
b) the school do not work with The Proud Trust

A) was from email from Head of PSHE
B) was from email from Headteacher

Possibly Head isn't aware of PSHE plans.

ooh brilliant Puffin - sounds like you have created a great opportunity there! It also sounds like the Head and the PSHE teacher haven't had a conversation recently.

I'm sure you will get a lot of really good advice

Maybe take them a free copy of the Equality Act 2010 including Sex as the relevant pc :¬))

Having a quick look at the Proud Trust resources currently available, it seems that they are still in breach of the DofE guidelines re. gender ideology etc. It is not 100% clear but when you consider point 3 below in relation to point 1, they might still be talking about 'wrong body'.

1. Assumes everyone has a gender, but people might have different ways in which they describe or experience theirs;
2. Assumes everyone has a sexuality, but people might have different ways in which they describe or experience theirs;
3. Assumes everyone has a body with genitals, but that genitals on one body may look different to genitals on another body;

www.theproudtrust.org/training-and-education/secondary-education-resources/sexuality-agender/

www.transgendertrend.com/proud-trust-nothing-proud/ this article may also be helpful.

From the school's point of view, this organisation has so many obvious red flags (the Dice Game, safeguarding issues, lack of education background, grouping 13-25 year olds together etc) that I can't see how they can continue a relationship.

Schools buying in educational resources should be able to trust the supplier organisation to have absolutely covered all safeguarding, legal, educational aspects and be 'whiter than white' (as far as poss.).

Best of luck, let us know how it goes.

As well as the excellent Transgender Trend article, this guide by SSA explains how different RSE providers are in breach of the government guidelines:

safeschoolsallianceuk.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Parents-Guide-to-external-PSHE-RSE-providers.pdf

Proud Trust is pages 30-36

OP, get in touch with the Safe Schools Alliance. They have a TON of resources on their website and they are very helpful.
safeschoolsallianceuk.net/

I think you're brilliant for challenging this. Good luck and please let us know how it goes.

The response I got from the Head was that gender is a protected characteristic

It isn't.

Good luck. Just do the prep. I got the school policy changed through a very straight taking, fact based meeting (and with the help of the transgender trend school pack)

There is the statutory government guidance is so useful to be able to refer to!

You can offer to help and suggest you get a copy of the transgender trend resources sent to them.

My understanding is OFSTED don't inspect/assess on LGBT, they only want to see something is being done on it so you could as about that. What are they assessed in and how will they approach the topic.

Pretty sure PT had Alok (of "little girls can be kinky" fame) in a secondary school activity and challenged 'cisnormative' statements like "men can't get pregnant".

You can get them in accurate biology right there.

Aside from the spelling mistakes talking about pregnancy they also also said lesbian and bisexual women can get pregnant by having sex with a 'cisgender male ' (odd they didn't reduce men to 'people with a penis') which could occur through 'sex work'.

ohholyJesus do you have a link to that? It would be really useful.

Thank you everyone. Once the DC are in bed I'm going to read through everything. Any and all suggestions welcome though.

Will DM you tonight x

I have been trying to challenge similar material at my school.

The only way I am making any headway is to make detailed comparisons with the DfE guidance. I used Transgender Trend’s excellent model.

Resources don’t make sense? Not interested.
Resources are a safeguarding risk? Not listening.
Resources breach DfE guidance? Oh, tell us more...

Well done HipTightOnions. It's exhausting isn't it?
Safe Schools Alliance also have some very helpful fact sheets including one about the dreadful resources being thrown at schools:

safeschoolsallianceuk.net/resources-2/factsheets/

I think I would start the meeting with a game using a couple of dice that have been made to the PT specification. If the Head refuses to 'play' with you then I can't see how they could consider it suitable for teens.

Wading through Proud Trust stuff. Which rights do heterosexual people have that LGBT+ don't? I can't think of any but I want to be sure. Bottom right of reasons to study LGBT+ History.

Have you had your meeting yet? If not best of luck!

That is an excellent idea Thingy - if you have the nerve OP!

There really are not any rights that exclude certain groups. The only "rights" being demanded which don't already exist are not actually "rights" - such as being able to demand people refer to/pretend to see you as you wish them to, and being allowed to access roles, spaces etc intended for people with a protected characteristic you don't share (female sex!).

Thank you all for your suggestions. I had the meeting yesterday. I'm not sure how much progress we made, if any but I am going back in 2 weeks time for further discussion.

Just saw this, well done Puffin and I hope you get a good result!