Primary School application asking for 4 year old's pronouns

[ChuffKnows]

Filling in my child's pack ready for when they start school in September and everything is gender not sex and it asks for pronouns! I can let the gender part go at a push but pronouns are a no no.

Any tips on how to handle it without marking myself out as 'problematic'.

Didn't think I'd have to deal with this crap at primary level 😣

Just don’t answer it.

Is it paper? Could you cross out inappropriate terminology and write in something sensible?

'He's four. He doesn't even know what a noun is yet.'

Yup. I’d also ask why they are collecting this ‘information’.

Or put meow/meow/immacat. 4 year olds pronouns for gods sake…

This

Would be tempted to write 'none of your business' actually.

Why is everyone making life harder?

Can you write N/A?

I started a new job recently, badly needed it so didn't want to kick up a fuss and that's what I put when asked for pronouns. Relieved to discover since I started working there that so far I've only seen two HR people with pronouns in their email signature, nobody else seems to have added theirs.

I would leave it blank and when your son starts school make sure you ask for RSE resources and attend any open evenings on the topic etc. I would check their Equality policy now to make sure they are not conflating sex and gender. Also worth looking at RSE and Behaviour policies to check for anything that indicates they are promoting gender ideology.

You probably know that Safe Schools Alliance have loads of good information on all this.

Some great replies, thank you.

Me and partner are totally on the same page on gender woo but he's less inclined to kick up a fuss than me.

It's definitely got me worried about what's to come. Will have to have a word with the head I think.

Great start 🤦‍♀️

Is there space to write "where do babies come from?"

This school is obviously pushing gender ideology. Are you sure you want to send your child there? It could end up being very problematic in the long run.

Thus doesn't bode well, OP. Could your child go elsewhere, somewhere with some common sense?

Suddha · Today 14:49
This school is obviously pushing gender ideology. Are you sure you want to send your child there? It could end up being very problematic in the long run

That is what I think too but it is probably too late to find another school at this stage, and the other alternative of home schooling is probably not feasible either.

This ought to be against the law. Would you consider writing to Sajid Javid, Baroness Nicholson, Jacob Rees Mogg, and your MP as well, OP?

It's definitely a massive red flag. Gutted as it's the best rated school near us by a long shot.

If anyone can point me to any other resources or just think of things to say without them just writing me off as a 'terf' I'd be very grateful 😏

Would Safe Schools Alliance be able to help, as Leafstamp suggests?

I would send a copy of this to Baroness Nicholson and Miriam Cates as a minimum, and mention that the Cass interim review said that social transitioning isn't a neutral act. This would be a big red flag for me but it's not like you can "just" change schools.

I'm afraid I wouldn't hold out much hope for anything useful from a talk with the the head. Or maybe try it, then give a summary to Baroness Nicholson and Miriam Cates MP? You don't need to give loads of personal details but an outline would be enough, I'd think.

Surely not 😮

Leave it blank and write - sex - male underneath.

I'd just cross the whole line out and write N/A at the end of the line.

This. It's all they need.

I rejected a school place when I realised they had a Stonewall logo on their sign.

I think the issue at Primary level is 1) kid culture at the moment is surprisingly stereotyped: Girls are ballerinas, boys are mini footballers. 2) Children believe whatever adults tell them. Some of the training in this area has strayed into dangerous territories eg encouraging secret keeping or gaslighting that penises are like big clitorises.

If your kids don't fit their sex stereotype, if they are non neurotypical or gay, the combo of the regressive wider kid culture and the misguided faux progressive belief of the school = your kid saying they are trans. An adult can choose what they do with their body, but I think all children deserve to grow up in healthy bodies, free from the sexism and homophobia that adult trans people report from their childhoods.

GDPR... you can collect data in relation to protected characteristics, one of which is sex... but not other data. Gemder is not a protected characteristic and the department for Education guidance on gender is to use age appropriate language and not to suggest that children can be born in the wrong body.

I would seriously consider a long letter including the fact that gender is a set of regressive stereotypes that is particularly harmful to women but also harmful to gender non conforming males. I would copy the governors and send it to the head.

If it's a paper form, answer only those questions you feel comfortable with.

Regarding pronouns, I would state that while you would support an adult requesting to be referred to as the opposite gender if they were respectful of your personal boundaries, you do not think it is appropriate for a primary school to be seeking that children assign themselves to a set of stereotypes or to suggest by asking this question that sex can ever be changed.

“ he’s a boy. Except when he’s a train.”