How do I convince by school not to support Mermaids?

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I’ve just found out that the secondary school I work in is holding an own clothes Day on Monday to raise money for Mermaids. I really want to talk to the deputy head in charge about why this is not a good idea but I need help getting evidence together.

Is there anyone who can help me come up with the best way to say it?

Have you tried contacting safe schools alliance?

safeschoolsallianceuk.net/

Thank you. Excellent suggestion.

I would suggested sending a long letter detailing their various failures from the predator I the child-only online chat room to the data breach.

I think Jo Bartosch did an excellent piece in this. Sorry I don't have it to hand but if you Google it, or even search through old MN threads there will be links to the audio of the training session which made a school governor cry and to the Social media posts saved where they say you can be born in the wrong body and the "better to have a live daughter than a dead son" which is the mantra they have since stepped away from, because they ignored the Samaritans advice about suicide ideation.

The categories of errors has been well documented on Mumsnet but it might take some digging!

Thanks. I looked on Safe Schools Alliance and screwed up the courage to go and speak to the safeguarding lead. He said one other member of staff had expressed concerns too but that he was going to say the Same thing to me. That they’d been chosen by the sixth formers and that he wanted to support them. He acknowledged the controversy though.

I came away feeling glad that I’d expressed concern but it frustrated that it led to nothing. So I emailed him some stuff from Safe Schools and linked to Transgender Trend. I said that we, as the adults, needed to challenge the kids’ choices were necessary. That we shouldn’t shy away from those difficult conversations.

He did make a distinction between raising money for them and signposting kids to them for help though. So I’m going to make sure that it’s challenged should they ever promoted in that sense.

Its disappointing to hear that even with a number of staff in agreement, they dont feel able to tackle this with 6th formers.

I'd suggest keeping the own clothes day, but saying

"Sixth Formers have chosen to raise money for Mermaids. Lower school are also welcome to wear own clothes, and make a donation, which will go to XXXX - those 6th formers who would prefer to donate here can also do so" and maybe suggest some suitable non-controversial charities they could donate to.

That way the select group of 6th formers who are driving this can live their woke lives and those who dont want to, or are unable to make an informed decision about where their money goes, can still do some good with it.

Of the sixth formers are old enough to make a decision then they are old enough to raise money for the BNP then? Or are they old enough to have some facts thrown their way? Maybe watch an interview with Keira Bell?

Bernadette great name, btw! You’re right access I wish I’d thought of that. I was hoping, I think, that some parents might have complained too and that some other staff would join in (one colleague thanked me for standing up and complaining but didn’t feel able to do the same).

I felt like the safeguarding lead was in thrall to the affirmation model; he illustrated that he still had a lot to learn having used incorrect pronouns for a girl (not a trans girl) who’d asked him not to use ‘she’.

I have a problem with the phrase ‘I’ve still got a lot to learn’ following perceived mis-gendering. It implies that any alternate view is uneducated.

This is a long and difficult battle.

As the DfE were until relatively recently promoting Mermaids to schools, it's not surprising that teachers have no idea of their toxic approaches to children.

Do the sixth-formers know that a Mermaids employee (who identifies as "cis") was involved in trying to prosecute a transsexual for transphobia?

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6764763/Britains-transgender-hate-crime-trial-halted-one-day.html

Wowzers. I doubt it.

I wonder if these 6th formers have cherished little brothers (and sisters). If they play dress up and house with them. If they would harm a hair on their heads?