Teachers ordered to avoid ‘biased’ views of BLM and Stonewall

[McDuffy]

In the Times today, article is mainly on BLM and Churchill but good to see more coverage;

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a3c27a26-8f67-11ec-8d28-50e05b644342?shareToken=d1d558ba721f891126535db0ba4d3095

Teachers must avoid using material from campaigning organisations such as Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Stonewall that may have “partisan political views”, government guidance on impartiality states.

Schools are already required to teach in an impartial way but new guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) advises teachers on how to “tackle sensitive issues in a politically impartial way”.

That's interesting, I just read that from another site and it didn't mention stonewall at all.
Do you know where we can read the actual guidance?

About time. Schools are riddled with this stuff and half the teachers especially the younger ones don't even know they are doing it. Supply teacher in our family says more classrooms (and the supplied lessons plans) than not have stuff on the walls that is politically contentious. and as for the content of many assemblies... This teacher sees school after school with the same issues. Most school leaders seem unable or unwilling to address the problem. Or even admit it is a problem.

DC also often comes home with tales of political commentary or asides by staff. DC knows that most teachers voted remain - again not appropriate. Most teachers seem to support gender ideology too also ideas like toxic masculinity taught as fact when reading poetry or novels for example. It is wrong intellectually to present just one side and also socially divisive. I am sick of the fact that nothing is done. And with schools it would be so easy. Ofsted would just have to fail one or two over this and changes would happen smartish.

I think this is a good thing. When I was at college doing my A levels, not that long ago, I had an art teacher who had stonewall posters up in her classroom, a geography teacher who wore a t shirt with Stalin's face on it, had a lifesize cardboard cut out of Obama, a puppet of Che Guevara (someone he openly praised), made us watch Obama's inauguration speech twice in a row and was openly celebrating when he won the election, and a philosophy teacher who called UKIP "BNP in disguise". It was almost laughable how little they tried to disguise their political opinions... Interestingly it was only ever left-wing teachers who really bashed it over our heads. It actually had the opposite effect of brainwashing me though. I felt so smothered by it all that I consciously tried to resist it and ended up forming quite conservative political views, partly as a reaction to feeling indoctrinated.

Just seen it on the BBC but doesn't mention Stonewall
www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-60405521

I found this on gov.uk
www.gov.uk/government/news/extra-support-to-safeguard-political-impartiality-in-schools

It actually had the opposite effect of brainwashing me though. I felt so smothered by it all that I consciously tried to resist it and ended up forming quite conservative political views, partly as a reaction to feeling indoctrinated.

I think a lot of people are feeling this way. Something is very wrong with universities, schools and colleges and has been for a long time.

@boltanddoorbell

It actually had the opposite effect of brainwashing me though. I felt so smothered by it all that I consciously tried to resist it and ended up forming quite conservative political views, partly as a reaction to feeling indoctrinated.

I think a lot of people are feeling this way. Something is very wrong with universities, schools and colleges and has been for a long time.

Yeah, I think it's partly why society has become so much more partisan.

[quote McDuffy]Just seen it on the BBC but doesn't mention Stonewall
www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-60405521

I found this on gov.uk
www.gov.uk/government/news/extra-support-to-safeguard-political-impartiality-in-schools[/quote]
It might possibly be this?

www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-your-relationships-sex-and-health-curriculum

It has a section on political views as well as this:

We are aware that topics involving gender and biological sex can be complex and sensitive matters to navigate. You should not reinforce harmful stereotypes, for instance by suggesting that children might be a different gender based on their personality and interests or the clothes they prefer to wear. Resources used in teaching about this topic must always be age-appropriate and evidence based. Materials which suggest that non-conformity to gender stereotypes should be seen as synonymous with having a different gender identity should not be used and you should not work with external agencies or organisations that produce such material.

I openly celebrate BLM in my school, my classroom has a wall of people of colour from our local community who have achieved great things, I get in a section about BLM into our weekly newsletter that gets sent home to every parent. I run a council for kids of colour only to attend.

Why shouldn’t I?

Why shouldn’t I?

Because as a teacher you should be politically neutral within the school.

my classroom has a wall of people of colour from our local community who have achieved great things

Great, but why link it to a political movement?
Why not just have a wall of local inspirational people of colour?

@OnceuponaRainbow18

I openly celebrate BLM in my school, my classroom has a wall of people of colour from our local community who have achieved great things, I get in a section about BLM into our weekly newsletter that gets sent home to every parent. I run a council for kids of colour only to attend.

Why shouldn’t I?

There's BLM, then there's Black Lives Matter.
Lots don't like the organisation BLM (because of money squandering and just general things they don't agree with) but obviously agree that BLM (as in they are normal people who hate police violence and racism).

Black history and current affairs are important but I'd differentiate that from the organisation

I strongly support the message that Black Lives Matter and that it's an absolute atrocity what is happening with racialised police violence particularly in the US.

There is a political group called Black Lives Matter who have decent sounding general objectives but I'm not too sure of which specific policies they are trying to enact, and it seems to have gotten bundled up with 'defund the police' etc which are more partisan. (It's hard to tell from a quick read of the BLM org website whether this is true or not). So I guess you can think Black Lives Matter but not want to defund the police in the UK or whatever.

Stonewall are by far a more belief-based org, in that they believe everyone's inner feeling dictates whether they should be treated as a man or woman or neither for political, medical, legal, social etc purposes and that biological sex is irrelevant, despite countless data on what your sex is a (direct or indirect) risk factor for (pregnancy, victim of violence, etc)

@boltanddoorbell

my classroom has a wall of people of colour from our local community who have achieved great things

Great, but why link it to a political movement?
Why not just have a wall of local inspirational people of colour?

Sorry; I didn’t explain that well. I haven’t linked them to the political movement but they represent the idea that Black Lives Matter

I haven’t linked them to the political movement but they represent the idea that Black Lives Matter

Ah, then you've misunderstood the issue. as this is clearly about political / lobbying movements isn't it.

Sorry; I didn’t explain that well. I haven’t linked them to the political movement but they represent the idea that Black Lives Matter

That sounds fantastic. It's not what they are talking about.

I run a council for kids of colour only to attend.

Why shouldn’t I?

Because you're excluding some kids due to their skin colour, and teaching kids (those who are included as well as those you exclude) that racial discrimination is acceptable.

Stonewall are making a complaint.

twitter.com/stonewalluk/status/1494255031893303298?s=21

Some of this can be laid at the door of excessive workload I think.
SLT "by the way you are now also teaching PSHE to year 9 next week they need to do X".
Where do you get the resources from? Online probably, as you don't have any time to make your own and school aren't providing any.
You might not have time to read them properly either. You might just think "oh Stonewall, they must be OK" because you don't know about the recent change in direction.

Because you're excluding some kids due to their skin colour, and teaching kids (those who are included as well as those you exclude) that racial discrimination is acceptable.
This is acceptable (and desireable) under the Equality Act. Just in the same way we're arguing about Girl Guides. The question is whether it's a vehicle for indoctrination in a political movement.

The guidance hasn't changed, it's just been 're-explained' and there are no named organisations, just a lot of information on how to identify those that should not be used. It's very long...

www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools/political-impartiality-in-schools#using-external-agencies

From the guidance it appears possible that every single queer theory lobby group that abuses others for failing to agree with their ideology should now be unemployable by schools: Look at the following (edited for brevity)

Schools are responsible for ensuring that speakers, tools, and resources do not undermine the fundamental British values including:
mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

Schools should not under any circumstances work with, or use materials produced by, external agencies that take extreme political positions on these matters. This is the case even if the material itself is not extreme, as the use of it could imply endorsement or support of the organisation.

A couple of examples of extreme political positions are

opposition to the right of freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of assembly or freedom of religion and conscience
engaging in or encouraging active or persistent harassment or intimidation of individuals in support of their cause,

Working with such organisations is not compatible with schools’ requirements to actively promote fundamental British values

Given the evidenced online and in real life behaviour towards women of numerous queer theory lobby groups, this should make it much easier to evidence the extremist nature of these organisations.

Ans yes, I suspect Stonewall would come under the 'campaigning' organisation banner and should not be used! Just like BLM it is the campaigning, lobbying, that is being deemed unsuitable. Facts, not bias.

You're right SamphiretheStickerist
One of the first actions of the tory government was to bin all the guidance from the previous labour government. That left schools with limited information and over the years the government have had to "reinvent the wheel" producing new versions of what used to exist.
The lack of this particular guidance has resulted in schools finding it almost impossible to stand up to all the queer theory (and other) political groups wanting access to children.

I like the idea that organisations are responsible for what is said and done in their name. I suspect it will be easy for parents to demonstrate to schools how undemocratic certain organisations are in terms of
opposing the rights to freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of assembly.
The photos of the mob outside any recent feminist meeting will show countless examples of lobby group banners and individuals threatening women and trying to shut a meeting down. Online is a treasure trove of such stuff. The guidance won't stop the threats but being associated with it will hopefully cut off a major source of £££ from schools for the toxic groups

Fantastic. And great to hear Stonewall are contesting what is a perfectly sensible, reasonable position.

Oh, I misunderstood - thought Stonewall were contesting govt guidance!