Please help! Gender not sex on a school 'protected characteristics' poster, just spoken to the Head!

[Vebrithien]

Good morning,

I started this thread before Christmas

www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4684558-today-i-found-my-bravery?page=1

The overview is that my DD's primary school is displaying posters by No Outsiders, which are supposed to show the 9 protected characteristics, but shows gender, not sex.

The (male) deputy head I mentioned it to, before Christmas, has not got back to me. The posters are still there.

I summoned up my courage this morning, and spoke to the Headteacher. She seemed surprised, as I said I'd already mentioned it to one deputy head, and that I'd picked up on it due to my school expecting Ofsted, and reissuing our equality training.

The Head said that it was surprising, as No Outsiders were an organisation whose specialism was equalities.

I replied that the EA2010 says sex, not gender. I also mentioned that there were some concerning resources produced by them, including an assembly where a dad wants to offer violence to children who do not accept his trans child. (I know no more than this)

The Head is going to talk to her other deputy head, whose responsibility this is, and to try to put us in contact.

Where do I do from here?

Can any one help me with evidence? What particularly is dodgy about No Outsiders?

Is there anything that states that schools mustn't misrepresent the EA?

Is there any DofE (or whatever it's called now) guidance for schools on the resources they used or how they represent the EA?

And, how should I go about finding out if the school uses other No Outsiders resources?

Please help, I want as much evidence as I can.

Still shaking with adrenaline from speaking to the Head!

I had the exact same email from Andrew Moffat about 4 years ago. He's been wheeling that one out for a long time! Still as disingenuous and weasely as it was then.

Yes

Particularly along side the Cass interim report

Ofsted are looking for the EA characteristics it seems from some recent inspections.

Can't miss that one out

I’m not just seen this. Have a look at our website, the review of no outsiders from TT is very good. We have a poster which depicts the correct PC. We also have a guide about how to talk to the school and a guide about how to complain. There is also a link to our interpretation of the DfE guidance and what it means for schools.

safeschoolsallianceuk.net/2020/09/25/government-issues-gender-identity-guidance-for-teachers-in-england-the-guardian/

safeschoolsallianceuk.net/resources-2/factsheets/#How_to_Complain_to_your_Childs_School

safeschoolsallianceuk.net/resources-2/factsheets/#Equality_Act_Protected_Characteristics_Poster

safeschoolsallianceuk.net/schools-resources-and-policies/

If you email us someone will try to get back to you.

I would keep up the pressure, the message from the head was very weak imho. I would also find out the safeguarding lead of the school and copy them in, saying you are concerned about ideology being put on primary age children about gender. Posters saying gender not sex is an idealogical stance, kids are being told they need to by law ‘be nice’ about the word gender but they don’t have to, and arguably gender reassignment is an adult issue which should not be introduced to kids at all, being nice to others despite their religion etc is different.

The email was from the Deputy Head, who is also the DSL, safeguarding lead, and the Head of inclusion

I still need to read up on this thread in more detail but that person absolutely needs to understand the safeguarding risks with teaching trans in school.

It's impossible to teach anything relating to transgender reassignment in an age appropriate way without perpetuating sexist gender stereotypes.

This send the message to children who are gender non conforming that their healthy body might be "wrong." And potentially confuse them.

These confused children and adults are making irreversible changes to their bodies.

Thank you. I send an email at about 5:30, using the address on the contact section of SSA website.

I am BEYOND furious.

However, I will be icily polite and will not rant at the school.

As I also work in education (secondary), I do get all the updates, and would like to reference any guidance that I use.

My DD loves the school, I love that shebisnoart of the local community.

I do not want her being taught that gender is sex. I do not want her being taught that if she doesn't comply with gender stereotypes, she must be the opposite sex.

Send this deputy some pieces by Abigail shrier? Or her book, irreversible damage?

Part of my concern, is that the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is also the Head of Inclusion. And she is the one who has sent me that email.

Which suggests that she doesn't think there is any safeguarding concern about conflating sex and gender.

Unfortunately, as you know, if teachers haven't followed any of all this and read the Guardian, they're completely in the dark and have no idea there have been any issues.

They trust outside providers too much.

It's quite hard to choose the right way to communicate the damage that can be caused without shutting down the conversation.

ARRRRRRGH!!!!!

Possibly one way to do this is by putting the onus on the safeguarding lead to come up with why this is NOT going to be a safeguarding issue. Then it is up to them to convince you that it is not.

Perhaps by being ‘concerned’ and needing ‘clarification’?

Something like:

I am concerned that having posters, which list gender as an important word and is asking children, even demanding that they have to be respectful of it, alongside and as important areas such as religion or race, is elevating what is an ideology to equal status with equality act protected characteristics. Could you give me clarification about how this may mean children feel under pressure to conform to gender politics?

Children can believe, if they want, that girls are females, and boys are biologically males. They do not have to believe that people can change sex. I am concerned that this poster is telling them that they do have to believe this, or they are ‘not nice’ and ‘not respectful’. This is a safeguarding issue, telling children they must follow an adult ideology, is it not?

Etc…

Girls have the right to know that the
law allows them privacy, dignity and protection based on their biological sex -
for example if they are in a hospital

This poster is not inclusive as intended if it excludes girls and women as a sex with particular needs and protections necessary because of their sex.
(see Explanatory notes Equality Act
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/notes/division/3/16/26/1#:~:text=The%20exception%20applies%20where%20being,sex%2C%20does%20not%20meet%20it)

(I am not sure how boys as a sex fit in )

By having gender not sex on the poster the idea of sexual orientation, which means same sex attraction, is cancelled.

And under that comes all the risk assessments that school would have to do for residential trips.

Boys and girls at swimming.

Toilets etc.

This teacher needs to understand the ramifications of teaching the children that sex doesn't exist / gender means your body is interchangeable and how this plays out when sex really matters within the school's duty of care.

Risk assessment = safeguarding

All good points, thank you.

I am going to see if Sex Matters and SSA respond to my emails.

I want to send a strong, coherent and legally backed up reply, citing my concerns about the conflation of sex and gender, as well as the use of No Outsiders resources.

We've all been there love.

Let it out.

Let it allllllll out!

Do look up the SSAUK website and the specific issues relating to NO.

Compare their poster with No - note differences.

I'd definitely read the TT queering the curriculum piece as iirc it goes into detail re some books etc.

The rest of the NO programme is not the issue, I think it mostly works well through books for the other areas.

Omitting sex is an issue - this would be tackling gender stereotypes and is a gaping hole from what I can glean.

It's the specific units relating to trans that are problematic due to the sexism involved. Some of these overlap with sexuality iirc.(only what I've been through online.)

I know the world has changed since I was at primary school. But surely if you're looking to promote inclusion, and acceptance of The Other, among young primary-age children then sex ('Urg - boys!'; 'Yuk-girls!') is the most common division and the obvious place to start?

Oh I don't know. I'm sick of this.
How can be it so hard to accept that sex matters and is a protected characteristic.

I went into teaching to help children, and science in particular, to help them understand the world around them.

How can saying that the biological differences between boys and girls don't matter, but your personality and stereotypes do?

Especially as teachers have a statutory duty to not perpetuate harmful stereotypes.

We are inundated at the moment so apologies if nobody has got back to you. I would say that probably all the arguments you need are on our website. The How to Talk to your school list of questions and answers is good. You can also make s formal complaint on safeguarding grounds and this will be the next step.

There is some fantastic advice on this thread. The response from Moffat is disingenuous and condescending.

@Vebrithien seriously tomorrow massive chisel tip permanent marker over every sign you see.Then sex in neat sharpie tell them you'll happily pay for the cost of the posters!