GDST schools announce trans policy

[AgathaMystery]

Hopefully this share token will work. If not I will screen shot.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/01/01/group-girls-schools-says-will-not-accept-transgender-pupils/

I am also aware of a non GDST girls school locally that has admitted a male trans pupil, unsure whether boarder or day pupil.

I understood it to be restating existing policy, but welcome this nevertheless.

If girls' schools were made to accept transgirls, then boys' schools would also come under pressure to do the same.
In particular, that would open up access for transboys to acquire valuable scholarships that have previously been available only to boys. It's well-known that boys schools are much better endowed with larger bursary funds.
I expect certain people find that thought intolerable.

It seems that choristers, for example, are very firmly boys or girls, with strictly separate choirs.
Often chorister boys are given significant scholarships for their education that are not available to girls, either because the associated choir school admits only boys (the girls come from a range of local schools) or considers the girls' choir to be inferior.

@Dozer

Their argument seems to be legalistic, rather than that it would not be in girls’ best interests to end GDST’s single sex provision.

I agree, but am inclined to see this positively. Acknowledging that the actual law permits same sex exceptions is good to hear. It's another small movement of the pendulum and momentum is gathering.

So pleased to read this, good for them

@Linguini

Have there been any cases of single sex state schools admitting pupils of the opposite sex?

I think it depends on where you are in the world.
If you live in make believe land California, I'm sure it happens.
I'm not a believer of "it never happens".

www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/transgender-students-test-las-all-girls-schools-1029878/
From 2017
Marlborough is open to admitting students who are born male but identify as female, but it will now ask students who transition from female to male who are in grades 7 to 10 to find another school

Honestly, California is just a complete shit show now. Some say the US is collapsing, I’m just hoping that California goes first and gives a big shot across the bows to wake everyone up!

Have emailed Cheryl as a GDST parent with my 100% support and why.

@ANewCreation, you said:

Being at an all girls school gave a bedrock that everything was possible for me if I aimed high enough. There were frequent assemblies on the theme of 'aim for the stars and you'll reach the treetops. Aim for the treetops and you'll hit the ground.'

Female people were capable of anything.
Which very possibly contributed to my Ignorance of sexism, in thinking that the work of feminism was pretty much done by the end of the 80s and my developing horror at how precarious women's rights are globally in 2022.
I am also not convinced that my old school now having a male head is all that helpful for current pupils in terms of seeing women at the top of leadership structures... But, yes, good on the GDST - hopefully this provides a way for other female organisations to row back.

A lot of that resonates with me. My school sadly doesn't exist any more as it merged with its brother school many years ago. I'm sure the girls in the merged school do well but it will be a very different experience.

A few years after the merger I was electrified to see in the Alumni Newsletter an earnest little piece from a sixth form girl copied across from the School Magazine, explaining to younger girls that it was OK to like science and maths - girls could do those subjects too, and even end up in STEM careers!

During my time at the school in the 1970s there was no need to say this. We had excellent science and maths teaching, and for most of the time I was there all the teachers in those (and all other) departments were female, as was the school leadership. I didn't do Science and Maths A levels but about half my year group did, and most went on to do STEM degrees.

Thank goodness for that.
These are such good schools that do everything they can to keep fees as low as possible and to give bursaries so that girls can have a good education where many excel in science as well as in all the other subjects. They also learn to speak up and be confident.

[quote Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]@ANewCreation, you said:

Being at an all girls school gave a bedrock that everything was possible for me if I aimed high enough. There were frequent assemblies on the theme of 'aim for the stars and you'll reach the treetops. Aim for the treetops and you'll hit the ground.'

Female people were capable of anything.
Which very possibly contributed to my Ignorance of sexism, in thinking that the work of feminism was pretty much done by the end of the 80s and my developing horror at how precarious women's rights are globally in 2022.
I am also not convinced that my old school now having a male head is all that helpful for current pupils in terms of seeing women at the top of leadership structures... But, yes, good on the GDST - hopefully this provides a way for other female organisations to row back.

A lot of that resonates with me. My school sadly doesn't exist any more as it merged with its brother school many years ago. I'm sure the girls in the merged school do well but it will be a very different experience.

A few years after the merger I was electrified to see in the Alumni Newsletter an earnest little piece from a sixth form girl copied across from the School Magazine, explaining to younger girls that it was OK to like science and maths - girls could do those subjects too, and even end up in STEM careers!

During my time at the school in the 1970s there was no need to say this. We had excellent science and maths teaching, and for most of the time I was there all the teachers in those (and all other) departments were female, as was the school leadership. I didn't do Science and Maths A levels but about half my year group did, and most went on to do STEM degrees.[/quote]
I also had a fantastic experience at a girls' school, and I was very upset when they merged with the associated boys' school (especially because I think it was largely driven by the boys' school- they were losing too many boys at 6th form to mixed schools) Not the same school as you- this merger happened within the last 5 years.

And I did Physics and Further Maths at A Level, because why on earth wouldn't I?! No such thing as "boys' subjects" in a girls' school. I'm sad in general how many single sex schools have gone coed. Sigh.

Good news. Let’s hope the single sex state schools follow this thinking too. My teen girls thriving in all girl feminist environment.

No such thing as "boys' subjects" in a girls' school.

Yes! It worked in reverse at my son's school, which was all boys. They had excellent take up of modern languages, English, Art etc at A level.

From the Telegraph article:

"It is rare for a group of single-sex schools to take a public position on the issue of admissions, and it could pave the way to others to follow suit."
I do indeed hope it paves the way.

"The guidance states that GDST schools do not accept applications from pupils who are legally male, even if they identify as female."
And all boys will be legally male, IIRC GRCs are adult only.

"Having an admissions policy based on “gender identity rather than the legal sex recorded on a student’s birth certificate would jeopardise the status of GDST schools as single-sex schools” under the Equality Act, it says."
So they've read the Act! Yay! And, they recognise that being single-sex is what the parents are choosing on.

"A female pupil who begins to transition while already at school should be supported to remain at the school for as long as they wish to do so, it adds."
Hammering home the point that it is not anti-trans but pro-female.

Good on them!

Ex GDST here too, with youngest DD still at her GDST school for at least another 3.5 years, probably 5.5 as she loves it so much. I am absolutely thrilled to see this. I sent her to an all girls’ school for a reason as did, I imagine, pretty much everyone else. She sat only for girls’ schools, although I do appreciate that living in SW London, we are surrounded by both GDST and others everywhere I look!

@Goatsaregreat

Just imagine what life would have been like if the organisations like the Fawcett Society, WEP, Guides, Rape Crisis and all the sporting organisations had followed the law and legally centred women and girls in their policies as the GDST are doing.

Oh gawd, just imagine! If only.

But back in the real world, it’s excellent news to hear of an organisation coming to such a reasonable decision that doesn’t disadvantage girls, for a change. A very welcome relief.

Well done GDST.

RoaringtoLangClegintheDark
It's incredible what a relief it is to hear a group of schools speaking out in favour of the rights of girls for a change. I do know that there are a growing number of Heads up and down the country finally realising the damage that's being done to children via social contagion, some trying to deal with safeguarding issues generated by unsupervised LGBT groups and others under siege from cross parents about the serial gaslighting of their children by adults with an agenda. This move will give them confidence but with Stonewall (according to Nancy Kelly) leading the charge to embed themselves in primary schools with the very youngest of children, it's going to be an uphill struggle.

I list all respect for the GDST a few years ago tbh after the appalling way they treated my dd.

She started one school which then closed so she only attended for one year. Moved as they merged to a gdst school. She had a scholarship and rest made up by a bursary and she had severe medical needs. I gave all her letters and evidence of this to the original school.

The existing nurse moved to the new school and she knew the medical info plus I assumed the letters etc were transferred too…..

My daughter became more Ill. The head of pastoral care started saying she didn’t believe it as ‘saw her smiling sometimes with friends’

Then I was given a deadline that in 48 hours I had to get up to date consultant letters or they’d remove her funding. Miraculously I got the proof and submitted it .

The following term they refused to put in place adjustments for exams stating she ‘wasn’t dyslexic so they refused’ and if I sent a carton of Juice for a break they would need it the day before to ensure I hadn’t tampered with it to write any info in that would enable cheating in an exam wtf

She was banned from the medical centre and told there would be no adjustments made as they didn’t believe the medical conditIons were genuine

They then asked us to remove her and we declined so they called social services and said I’d made up everything and had not submitted any medial info and they suspected dd may be being abused and kept away from education . They said I refused to take her in when DAILY I was dropping her off and picking her up

They were hateful . The gdst are awful. So this is all just self promotion as they don’t care at all. It’s a business and they are ruthless

As an ex-GDST girl this was fantastic to see. GDST goes where Fawcett, Women's Aid and all the rest fear to tread! I'll be writing to them in support.

It was inevitable that they (and other single sex schools) would have to take an explicit position on this.

Firstly, their business model relies on parents who want single sex education for their daughters. If they deviate from that they are toast. So it is excellent that by this policy statement they have been really, really clear that the consequence of admitting any boys, even ones who identify as girls, is that your single sex school is not single sex anymore. Once you admit one boy you have to admit all the ones who pass the entrance exam.

Secondly, if they became mixed sex, it would almost certainly put them and their member schools in breach of charities law as they would no longer be centering their founding charitable objectives. And it would be totally impractical as the schools do not have the facilities or space for mixed sex safeguarding (separate locker rooms etc).

So in the face of prospective parents (and quite possibly some staff) who are committed gender ideologues and would seek to erode single sex provision, they had to have a clear policy on this, otherwise you would get people continually testing and weakening the boundaries.

It's a bit disappointing that it's not come out in the form of a full throated I AM WOMAN HEAR ME ROAR defence of girls' single sex education, but, actually, we don't need that. All we need is that organisations be grown-ups, calmly defend their boundaries, and centre girls. That is what GDST have done, and that is a radical act (I'm sorry to say) in itself.

Cynically though they are a private organisation who need to keep the majority of their paying clients happy. So an easier decision than for public sector bodies…

Oh yes and it was delicious to see that Maya Forstater is a GDST alumna. Hoo boy. No wonder CGD don't know what's hit them.

Well done, GDST.

I understand the point that is being made in this case, but I completely disagree with it.

Sex is biological, but gender is a social construct, so to allow people who are biologically female but identify as male (ftm) to attend the school, but not the other way around, doesn’t make sense. I think this because the school is for girls only for the social side of their lives, as in who they interact and work with.

Ftm people are male. That’s it. They probably won’t want to attend an all-girls school because they are not girls, and just like most boys, probably wouldn't want to be surrounded by them. I do think it is unfair to kick trans pupils out if they have been at the school before their transition, but overall this decision is backward.

And as for all the people worrying about how the ‘TRAs’ will react, they are only campaigning for what is, or should be, their legal right. A transgender woman is a woman, and a transgender man is a man. Don’t try and take away their education just because you disagree with their identity.

It's good to read an alternative view well argued, thank you motherartichoke. I'd question your use of male and female in the gender context, but of course I would.

I think single sex education is just that. I think boys are not men and girls are not women, they are still growing and developing.

Ftm people are male. That’s it. They probably won’t want to attend an all-girls school because they are not girls, and just like most boys, probably wouldn't want to be surrounded by them.

They are children - girls often hitting puberty who are told that they can fix their uncomfortable developing bodies by "changing sex". They need sensitive support, time to grow and develop and safeguarding from the influence of self interested adults persuading them they've been born in the wrong body fgs.

@motherartichoke

I understand the point that is being made in this case, but I completely disagree with it.

Sex is biological, but gender is a social construct, so to allow people who are biologically female but identify as male (ftm) to attend the school, but not the other way around, doesn’t make sense. I think this because the school is for girls only for the social side of their lives, as in who they interact and work with.

Ftm people are male. That’s it. They probably won’t want to attend an all-girls school because they are not girls, and just like most boys, probably wouldn't want to be surrounded by them. I do think it is unfair to kick trans pupils out if they have been at the school before their transition, but overall this decision is backward.

And as for all the people worrying about how the ‘TRAs’ will react, they are only campaigning for what is, or should be, their legal right. A transgender woman is a woman, and a transgender man is a man. Don’t try and take away their education just because you disagree with their identity.

You can't seriously think it's a good idea to call ftm students 'male and that's all there is to it'? They have female bodies that can't be ignored.

MTF students likewise have male bodies that can't be ignored.