New Supporting transgender young people in schools: guidance for Scottish schools

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

www.gov.scot/publications/supporting-transgender-young-people-schools-guidance-scottish-schools/

I've not read it closely but some sections look slightly promising eg:

Recognise that some transgender young people may not be comfortable using a single sex toilet or changing room that matches their gender identity. In which case providing a gender-neutral space or accessible toilet can be the best alternative.

If a young person raises a concern regarding sharing facilities with a transgender young person and it is established that they will experience disadvantage as a result, then the school should seek to respect the rights of all. To do this the school should seek to come to an arrangement, to accommodate everyone involved, after discussion and consideration of options available.

Specific considerations will be required for residential trips, as young people are in closer quarters than usual. Talking about respect for boundaries, privacy and shared living space will help all young people, including transgender young people. For certain residential accommodation it is possible under exceptions provided by the Equality Act[56] to treat a transgender young person differently in the provision of single-sex communal accommodation if this is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim[57]. This means that schools are not required to place a transgender young person in a dormitory that aligns with their gender identity if this treatment of them is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. This will require careful consideration[58].

Hmm, spoke too soon...

National Child protection guidelines[62] require agencies and professionals, including teachers to follow particular procedures for confidentiality and information sharing. But, being transgender is not a child protection issue in itself

A transgender young person may not have told their family about their gender identity. Inadvertent disclosure could cause needless stress for the young person or could put them at risk and breach legal requirements. Therefore, it is best to not share information with parents or carers without considering and respecting the young person's views and rights[66].

[Infographic with 57% transgender children attempt suicide if unsupportive parents]

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Hi yes I’ve just had a skim and noticed the very biased list of helpful agencies listed. I think there were definitely some important nods to respecting the concerns of those worried about the rights of women and girls in relation to trans inclusion. However the selling of gender identity theory as fact and the list of resources for making transgender people more visible is a bit of a worry. I feel conflicted. I want young people with genuine, persistent gender dysphoria to get the support they need and to know that there are people like them. But I don’t want my children being taught as fact that everyone has a gender identity.

They seem to have grudgingly stated the law correctly (?) but are heavily pushing "being kind"

It’s awful. It’s full on affirmation only for gender distressed children. Parents who might wish to take a more cautious approach are treated as though they need educating and there is no mention of situations where mental health experts have advised against affirming. It’s one sided lobby group speak. ScotGov refused to engage with any groups outside their usual contacts.

At least time they seem to admit that they don’t know if it’s lawful or not:

“It is for education authorities and managers of grant-aided and independent schools to take their own legal advice on such matters, as appropriate.”

So angry. Not unexpectedly but still so angry

So as shirley-ann Somerville is the new education officer should I be sending my Complaints and criticism of this new mess

Telegraph has covered it:

archive.ph/9HpEe

Glad there is a nod towards considering the rights of everyone, at least. But not good to hear about the 'affirmation only' approach. I wonder if this will change only when the ScotGov adjusts its policy?

^being transgender is not a child protection issue in itself

A transgender young person may not have told their family about their gender identity. Inadvertent disclosure could cause needless stress for the young person or could put them at risk and breach legal requirements. Therefore, it is best to not share information with parents or carers without considering and respecting the young person's views and rights[66].^

Keeping secrets about a child is a safeguarding risk.

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/scottish-four-year-olds-can-change-gender-at-school-without-parents-consent/ar-AANfoy2

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/08/12/scottish-four-year-olds-can-change-gender-school-without-parents/

I think this might be where the msn article came from originally: www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19509204.scottish-government-issues-school-guidance-support-transgender-pupils/

Never been so glad not to live in Scotland! This is insane. Four year olds don’t even understand gender never mind know which gender they are. If I ask my nearly 4yo if he’s a girl or a boy he says no, I’m not a girl, I’m not a boy, I’m John. Other times he says he’s a dragon 🤷‍♀️

As a teacher, a parent and a resident in Scotland I am really fxxxxd off with the Scottish Government. Nicola and her cabinet should all go. I am fed up reading on teacher's forums about how bad JK Rowling is with no context and all the other teachers agree and fawn. I can only inagine how many children will join in this new, keep a secret from your parents because that is fun and all your friends are doing it. It all helped long but teachers' full support. Then when law suits come, Nicola and her cronies have it covered, they won't be in trouble, no, just the school and individual teacher's who should have got better legal advice.
Good to know that letting a 4 year old make a potentially life changing decision is more important than sorting our totally messed up education system.
Scotland is a mess because we are being run by a woman who is more interested in being the most woke leader than any actual pressing matter. 😡😠🤬
Sorry for the rant just a bit pissed off!

Teachers are not psychiatrists and shouldn't be involved in colluding with children against their parents. How utter undermining.

[quote ArabellaScott]I think this might be where the msn article came from originally: www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19509204.scottish-government-issues-school-guidance-support-transgender-pupils/[/quote]
That Herald article does not mention “sex” once, yet most readers will have the traditional understanding that “gender” is just a polite word for sex and be misled about what is really being discussed. The gaslighting is just so wearing. Schools are to be advised to consider converting toilets or showers to gender neutral. Why not just say, out loud, that this means mixed sex?

Another added: “I was told I was disgusting and in PE I was forced to change in a disused shower cubicle in case I 'stared at' any of the girls.”

Clearly no child should be told they’re disgusting. However, this appears to be a boy (young human male) not being allowed to shower with the girls. Why doesn’t the article actually make this clear? How much parental support is there for teenage boys (albeit ones with long hair perhaps) using communal showers with girls at school?

The nature of news coverage, IPSO guidelines etc is really part of the problem here.

Ah - perhaps I misinterpreted. The quotation from the article appears to be about a male pupil not being allowed to change in the girls’ changing room after PE and having to change in an individual cubicle instead. Again, how much parental support is their for teenage boys to be changing after PE in girls’ communal changing rooms?

there obvs

Also in the Times, my share tokens don't work at the moment:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4321288-New-Supporting-transgender-young-people-in-schools-guidance-for-Scottish-schools

Times piece archived here:

archive.li/5Ez3c

The guidance cites anonymous quotes from trans children, including a trans girl told she was “disgusting” and forced to change separately in case she “stared” at fellow pupils.

So a boy then. The appropriate pronoun for someone of the male sex is “he”. This is pure journalistic gaslighting without clarification.

The phrasing of the extract implies that the person who told the child he was 'disgusting' was the person who 'forced' him to change separately. And separately to whom?

As the teachers are supposed to be in charge in a school, that extract leads us to believe a child was labelled 'disgusting' by the adults in charge of his welfare. And that is, indeed, disgusting.

So who told him he was 'disgusting'? Was it girls, disgusted at the prospect of a boy forcing his way into the changing room with them? This extract could actually be showing compassionate teachers looking after both the male child who does not want to change with other boys, and the girls whose right to privacy from boys should be respected.

An article in TheCritic by Susan Smith from 'For Women Scotland' outlines the history and deftly highlights the nature of the Scottish Government's new guidance with its guileful paying of lip service to the law and girls' rights while proceeding to then ignore them in its conclusions.

Some other notable points she makes:

• it says the guidance is non-statutory, to avoid legal responsibility, which it puts onto schools
• it also plays on fears of self-harm or suicide
• it denies parental rights and flies in the face of safeguarding
• it emphasises capacity to consent, aged 12, to medical treatment etc (pace the High Court case of Keira Bell).

thecritic.co.uk/total-dummies/

categed
Scotland is a mess because we are being run by a woman who is more interested in being the most woke leader than any actual pressing matter.

Yep all lovely "inclusive" fluffy shite whilst the education system crumbles, they do nothing to tackle the drugs deaths & the NHS is on its knees. Still haven't published the "self ID" consultation responses

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/transgender-guidance-for-schools-based-on-flawed-data-rp8scscll

So, the guidance is flawed, but it's only guidance so it doesn't matter? In and education establishment? Who'dda thought. Didn't read all the comments, but they seem to be very good.

I wonder how long it is going to take for politicians and others in charge of public bodies to realise, they need to check everything if it comes from SW or anything similar. Perhaps they really don't care

So it's only 'guidnace' and schools are free to follow it or not.

The buck stops somewhere over there in the bushes.

Anyone got a share token for the new "flawed data" piece?