School head has borrowed my copy of Irreversible Damage...

[Nonmaquillee]

..following my discussion with him regarding the school planning to use Stonewall materials in RSE sessions.

When I arrived, he told me that he had a meeting 45 minutes later. I was with him for over an hour. I had taken the book as well as quote from the DfE guidelines re not affirming stereotypes, the SW glossary (I picked out a couple of words and I asked him what they meant eg non-binary. He gave an approximation of the “correct” answer as per the SW ideology. I then said, well, what does this actually mean? He said, ah, well, it’s a complex issue. To which I replied, well, if you and I both find it complex, how do you expect a 14 year old to understand?
I had already said, of course, schools can’t present information to children that the teachers themselves can’t explain and he had already said, oh no, of course not 😂). Also took along the quote from the report into the University of Essex re SW using their own interpretation of the law. In advance, I had also emailed him the BBC report on the EHRC cutting ties with SW.

He wants to meet again in a couple of weeks with the RSE teacher present.

He had believed that gender identity was a protected characteristic. I soon put him right.

Thanks to all the wise women on here who provided links and advice!

Good on you OP. The more parents speak to Heads, the more they will realise the dangers and illegality of what lobby groups have been promoting.

It is great @Nonmaquillee. It is also a shame isn't it that parents have to counter misinformation that has entered schools via a lobby group. If only with every SW information pack there was an addendum that compared advice given with the law as it actually stands. I dream that instead of schools boasting SW champion membership they instead speak of being a Safe School champion which would incorporate support for all pupils in an appropriate way which would of course support any gender non-conforming child without label.

Bloody well done op xx

I picked out a couple of words and I asked him what they meant eg non-binary. He gave an approximation of the “correct” answer as per the SW ideology. I then said, well, what does this actually mean? He said, ah, well, it’s a complex issue. To which I replied, well, if you and I both find it complex, how do you expect a 14 year old to understand

This is brilliant! Such a good point.

If it's so complex that you can't explain it, then you shouldn't be teaching it to children.

Brilliant, OP

And remember ROGD and Social Contagion - the school should just not be mentioning this dangerous stuff. Perhaps, after reading your book they will now have an inkling of just HOW dangerous.

Yes these issues are covered in the book so he’ll find out about them.
I asked him if the ideology perpetuated by SW was “around “ ten or 12 years ago and he said no, not at all, which tallies with Shrier’s thesis in the book of Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria (I seem to remember that she links it back to c. 2012). This part of the book will therefore definitely resonate with him.
I told him to pass it on to any other members of staff who may be interested in enlightening themselves.

I hope I misread, but did you say school has gender neutral lavs? They shouldn't have these unless they comply with regulations and there has been an announcement that single sex is required. No time to finish but I would expect even stricter rules after VAWG consultation

Wow. Well done OP.

You mums are storming it... you are brilliant!

@highame

I hope I misread, but did you say school has gender neutral lavs? They shouldn't have these unless they comply with regulations and there has been an announcement that single sex is required. No time to finish but I would expect even stricter rules after VAWG consultation

Hello - this came up in our discussion regarding children at school who said they were “trans”. I said that I hoped that boys weren’t going into girls’ toilets, for example, and was reassured that all toilets were single sex but that this particular child a “gender neutral “ toilet had been set aside. Of course I queried what “gender neutral” means and of course he couldn’t really answer..,but I am satisfied that all other toilets are single sex.

What an absolute palaver for the school, I have to say, pandering to this....

Well, that's the point of the #DontSubmitToStonewall campaign, OP. It's highlighting just how much of a costly palaver blindly following Stonewall is.

Organisations, schools, etc need to feel the consequences of making these errors so they fix them and start following the law.

If you find when you next meet that your head teacher is receptive and understands the issues, press him/her on taking it further - by which I mean, schools are always in networks - sometimes via academy chains, sometimes via local "clusters" of co-operation. With the HT on board you will effectively be talking to whole group of schools not just this one. (And well done).

arse, you can rapidly go off people.... *

I just checked school equalities policy and....

NOW I HAVE TO FUCKING DO SOMETHING....

now where were those threads on writing to school?

*to be taken in the jokey sense intended...

Good for you, and hopefully he will think long and hard.
One school at a time, that's how we do it until enough are being sensible and the whole Stonewall Law crumbles.

Well done , OP!
I really feel us parents are fighting back so much more recently. Thank goodness for this RSE consultation opportunity.
And yes, are you available for tours??! X

@BlackeyedSusan

arse, you can rapidly go off people.... *

I just checked school equalities policy and....

NOW I HAVE TO FUCKING DO SOMETHING....

now where were those threads on writing to school?

*to be taken in the jokey sense intended...

I had a thread on here a couple of weeks ago which had some links in it. I’ve seen others, too. It was particularly worth taking along a paper copy of the quote from the Essex university report (on my original thread) as it makes clear that the (neutral) writer of the report says that SW have been using their OWN interpretation of the law.

He wanted me to leave all the paperwork with him 😊

@TwistedEyeOfHorus

Good for you, and hopefully he will think long and hard. One school at a time, that's how we do it until enough are being sensible and the whole Stonewall Law crumbles.

After yesterday I have decided to go to the top - head of local LEA. I’m on a roll 😊

I’m fuelled by anger at this BS being used to brainwash our kids, and because I never ever want my DDs to come across a man in a toilet or changing room.

Yikes!

Best of luck with the head of the LEA.

Also, worth being aware if there are any large Multi Academy Trusts (MAT's) in the area, as they may actually cover more schools than the LEA does.