Engaging with secondary school on gender policies

[wolfwalk]

I'm in the process of selecting a secondary school for my daughter in a very captured area. The open evening of the closest school rang alarm bells in terms of centring of gender stuff, so I sent the headteacher some GC materials afterwards (including the Sex Matters/TT guidance for schools), and asked about future plans/policies in this area, given potential harms to children.

The head immediately requested a meeting, which I thought was a good sign. We met today. He set the tone for the meeting by starting with: “So you have a problem with transgender?”. After explaining that no, I do not, at all, but I am extremely concerned about long-term safeguarding and child welfare issues relating to the teaching of gender theory in schools and social/medical transition, he made it clear that he had no plans to make any changes to the school’s policies. These include socially transitioning children without parents’ consent or even knowledge and, as part of the PSHE curriculum, teaching Y7 where to go for support if they think they might be trans.

We luckily have another school option, slightly further and still quite captured, but less so – but I’m reluctant to let this lie for the other kids who attend this school. We also might end up being allocated this school if my daughter doesn’t get a place at the first choice.

Do I have any further recourse? I’ve sent the headteacher research and schools guidance on legal requirements/safeguarding already. I may have to accept there’s nothing more I can do, but I’m furious and unwilling to do so.

Well done for being "that parent" OP. I'd be tempted to send the attached from Sex Matters to the Chair of Governors (copied to the Head) asking why they are determined to breach safeguarding guidelines by transitioning children behind their parent's back?

sex-matters.org/posts/updates/schools-guidance/

I'd also attach this analysis of the dangers of transitioning teenagers from a clinical psychologist and ask what qualifications the Head has in child psychology and child medicine to set children off on this one way path to lifelong infertility and mental health problems?

www.transgendertrend.com/teenager-says-theyre-transgender/

Thanks. Writing to COG is a great plan.

I’d send a copy to each, ensure it doesn’t get binned without being read by someone.

Also, the lead for education on your local council, and the Cllrs for the ward the school is in.

My local council is a basket case, and have advised schools to transition kids socially without parental knowledge/consent, if that's what the children want. So really, this headteacher is just doing what he's been told. Council policy is a separate battle (and one I'm gearing myself up for...)

Is the school part of an Academies group?
Ofsted?

this from yesterday might be helpful:

acpuk.org.uk/the-cass-review-and-its-implications-psychologically-informed-considerations-for-the-future/

When we had a query with a local school on similar matters, I emailed and explained I had some follow up questions (gave a nod to gender I.d and their rainbow lunchtime club) and I was called back by the safeguarding lead. The school could not have done a better job at reassuring my concerns and laid out how they would/have approached transgender issues as they've arose.

The response from the head sounds awful, and it would make me want to scratch that school from the list - however I'm wondering if it was a defence mechanism to the way you approached it - by sending info and links before getting a chance to discuss matters face to face.

Either way, I'd suggest you fill your choices (do you get three?) with three other schools to lessen your chance of being given this one.

It's an LEA school. Last Ofsted rating was good, five years ago. Yes, the APCUK stuff could be very useful when writing to the COG. We get three choices, but we only have this and one other school available to us due to catchment areas. Thanks, all - some really useful ideas here.

Thank you for taking this on.

I have a child moving up next year too and we’ve rejected a possible school based on their mixed toilets. I keep saying I will write to the head about it but you’ve reminded to actually get on with it!

maybe fill up the list with out-of-catchment options? I’m putting a no hoper down for second and third (based on distance) and will appeal for our first choice if necessary.

You can list schools outside of catchment. Likelihood of getting them is reduced but it's not a guaranteed no.

I'll give it a go, thanks. Hoping that my letter to COG (and yours to the Head, @TheClogLady) does some good. I'm shocked at how unquestioningly some educational institutions have amplified the Stonewall line on this issue.

I too have been going to the secondary open evenings this last few weeks. And seeing the gender neutral toilets and the photo of Elliot Page the size of a whole wall under the heading of one of the school’s core values (kindness/ respect whatever) so highlighted to me how drip drip drip indoctrinated are kids are.