Secondary teachers, pronoun pins and pronoun introductions

[FemaleAndLearning]

I have two girls at secondary year 8 (age 12) and year 10 (aged 14). First week back to school. One teacher is wearing a pronoun pin on her lanyard with she/her, another introduced herself to the class and added 'my pronouns are she/her'.

Both my girls are pro women and girls and we all dislike gender identity ideology and don't believe in it.
We have a new headteacher, but I don't think this is their influence. I need to chase up appointment I requested to discuss Cass Review so was going to use the pronoun thing as an opener.
To me those teachers wearing/introducing their pronouns are publicly declaring they believe in gender identity ideology and it makes me feel uncomfortable that this has been casually allowed.
Does anyone have a draft letter or succinct points I can make and how can I secure an appointment without being fobbed off?
(Note large mixed sex academy with probably 10 plus girls saying they are non-binary or trans.)

I don't think there's anything wrong with people saying "their" pronouns or publicly stating that they believe in gender identity. Assume what you like about their critical thinking skills or adherence to sexist stereotypes but I don't think it's harmful in itself. It might spark a productive conversation.

I don't believe in Christianity but I wouldn't care if someone wore a cross necklace, etc.
What were you going to discuss about the Cass review? it's only an interim report so far.

I don't think there's anything wrong with people saying "their" pronouns or publicly stating that they believe in gender identity.

That's not the case for teachers though. We are not allowed (by law IIRC) to make political statements in front of our pupils.

I would say pick your battles myself.

Thank you this is the kind of thing I was thinking about, but I'm not a teacher so didn't know what the regulations are. I might ask why they are not sharing whether they are a Brexiter or Remainer, Conservative or Green, or their star signs!

Answering other points:
Can gender identity ideology be compared to a religion? I didn't think we were allowed to say that?

Cass Interim report is very clear that schools are making an active intervention by social transitioning their pupils. Schools are not hospitals and teachers are not doctors. Also if girls are saying they are boys then it cannot be ignored as there is likely some underlying issues that need to be explored.

They're not sharing their political views because doing so would be breaching the Teacher's Standards.

What are they sharing then if this isn't political. To me it states I believe humans can change sex and the mantras transwomen are women etc.

Yup, they are pledging allegiance to their flag.

I don't personally if I'd pick this battle though, no matter how much it grates.

It's just two teachers that I have heard about so far it could be more. Are those teachers that don't believe in gender identity allowed to wear a pin on there lanyard that states woman adult human female?
I don't think it is a massive battle just something I want to add in for my meeting with the head about gender identity ideology in general and how it is taught in the school.

It doesn't really seem much different from using their in your OP rather than he / her influence.

I used their when referring to the headteacher as I didn't want to let on whether it was male or female in order to protect me and the school. The sex of the headteacher is irrelevant. I think that is an acceptable use of language, but I'm happy to be corrected. I did use sex based pronouns for the two female teachers.

Would you be happy with the teacher introducing themselves 'hi my name's x and I'm an evangelical Christian'? The cross would be comparable to a rainbow badge I guess.

So the question I think is can the gender identity ideology be considered a belief, and therefore treated comparably. In my opinion the argument stands, as the opposing belief is (bravely and expensively) legally protected?

I agree gender identity is also a belief just like being gender critical is a belief, but is it acceptable for a teacher to show they have that belief in a school. I suppose more importantly do the teachers understand the implications of standing up and waving their belief in light of the Cass Review and other things that happened over the summer. Is declaring pronouns a signal to girls at the school that they are not understand or cared for given my belief that gender identity ideology is harmful to women and girls?

Would it be appropriate for a teacher to wear a pin and introduce themselves as a pro life that is a belief too.

It just makes me uncomfortable and I can't put my finger on it and that's why I was asking for help to articulate my view.

Their choice, like ours.

OP I would also be uncomfortable with that. Children are required to respect their teachers and most secondary age do not have the critical thinking skills to see an opposing point of view (that will hopefully form part of their education over years). They are certainly not able to articulate an opposing view at school. Therefore the teacher is asserting the power dynamic. I think it is unfair to do that. That would be part of my articulation. The next step presumably is to ask children to declare their own pronouns.

Nope definitely not OK

they’re openly planting their flag on the side of the fence that includes TWAW, women aren’t allowed single sex spaces, men can take up places on programmes designed for women, it’s fine to have men in woman’s prison, refuges and rape services.

they’re showing that if your DD were ever unhappy about a boy in one of their spaces at school there’s no point going to pronoun teacher as they’ll be on the boys side

I’ve no doubt miss/mrs pronoun will also be socially transitioning children despite the cass report saying it’s not a neutral act

it’s absolutely a political statement. Political doesn’t just mean party political

its not just a belief - it’s a belief that is harmful to girls (and boys).

and it’s a belief which I find offensive - girls can’t opt out of all of the harassment they’re subjected to by calling themselves he/him.

Did sheher also announce her religion/not, dietary preferences and any allergies?

Definitely worth mentioning IMO. It is 100% a political statement and sends a very clear message to girls that any concerns about eg boys using girls’ facilities will not be listened to. For this reason it is absolutely a battle I would pick as a mother of daughters.

As you’ve said, can you imagine the outcry if a teacher decided to wear an AHF badge? If that’s (understandably) not allowed in schools, public declarations of allegiance to gender ideology shouldn’t be either. Teachers are there to teach, not preach.

I think mentioning the Cass Report and Suella Braverman's speech should be enough to convince the head teacher that this is not appropriate.

People are often more responsive to information if you phrase it that new information has arisen.

Perhaps you could say that things have changed a lot recently and perhaps the teachers in question weren't aware that the latest government advice is that affirmation is not recommended unless explicitly advised to do so by a medical professional.

While I agree with the "pick your battles" points you could use this for a questioning approach? Something like:
"I've heard that some staff are using pronouns on their badges? Want to be reassured that, in the light of the Cass Review, the school will continue to adopt a facts based approach to gender identity issues and that SRE, pastoral and curriculum time will not be used to promote gender ideology with staff adopting a professional approach and not teaching queer theory or the idea that people can change sex?

Or something better?

Thanks for the latest posts they are really helpful and they will make it easier to convey my concerns.

I don't think the "pick your battles" argument works here at all. The teacher introducing themselves using pronouns makes this a foundational introduction to the relationship between teacher and pupil. It says "this IS how you WILL see me". As such, it is essential to point this out at the start. This IS the battle to pick. It isn't a trivial matter. It is expressing the grounds on which the child/teacher relationship will commence. The bud will flower.

They're not sharing their political views because doing so would be breaching the Teacher's Standards

I hope you're aware this sentence makes zero sense of any kind.

I have mixed feelings about pins like that.

Under normal circumstances I think it's ok for people to have low-key evidence of things like their religious faith on their bodies, even teahers. A teacher who is a nun IMO, can wear a habit if she has one. Or a Sikh teacher a turban.

And theoretically I don't see that secular worldviews are different.

Politics is maybe different but they can overlap.

The real concern I have with something like a pronoun badge is that it is reinforcing a view that is actively harming children in the classroom, often with the school collaborating even against the express wishes of the parents.