Anybody considering home schooling because of all of this gender fuckery?

[YourVagesty]

Disclaimer before we get into it: I am, and always will be an ally to the lesbian and gay communities.

Right, that out of the way... I've got two nieces and a stepdaughter who all think they are trans. Frankly, I'm fed up of every conversation with them leading back to whether they are a demiboy or queer etc. It's relentless. I've told them to forget labels and focus on what makes them a good or inspiring person, and to just fall in love with whoever they fall in love with - when they are old enough obviously. Whatever, I don't care.

I'm over the culty obsession with all of it and if it was any other trend, I'd be unconcerned (teen fads come and go). But obviously, with this one, they are at risk of ending up sterilised or in chronic pain if they get too sucked into it.

As much as I'd hope that this will all pass, part of me thinks this new scientific-unreality is here to stay and frankly, I don't want my toddler to enter a school system that promotes the idea that you can choose to be male or female. I don't need him having anxieties over whether playing with girl toys makes him a girl etc.

I don't want him coached into thinking about things that I find as unbelievable as the existence of Jesus Christ.

I want him to learn life skills and make friends basically. So my mind is ticking over the idea of home schooling and I wondered whether others are feeling this way?

I guess if there are enough parents that feel this way in some geographical areas, that they could start their own mini schools?

Obviously, as he gets older, I'll be careful with his Internet use too because I know the Internet shoulders much of the blame for the social contagion aspect.

If there are any teachers reading, what's your perspective on this? What is happening in the schools from your point of view? I'm from an academic background and I know the universities have gone all in on all of this. Meh.

Sorry for the long post!

Just to offer a different perspective I work in a main stream state secondary and I think there is very little ‘trans’ ideology coming from the school input. There has definitely been an increase in trans students but we are not teaching anything or told to teach anything that supports it. I respect my students choices but don’t feel any pressure to support any sort of ideology. Just a view from on the ground that definitely in my school’s case I think home-schooling would be a complete overreaction. Especially as I think the influence is not coming via the education system

You would make it worse - are you going to stop them having internet access too?

What about when they want to go to college?

You keeping them home sounds like you want to brainwash them to your way of thinking which is just as extreme.

It's worked so far (9&11)

I genuinely hope you avoid this madness but I would have said the same thing and right now I have a boy who's a girl with a girlfriend who's a boy 🤷

OP most of the trans madness comes from the internet as far as I can see. My kids are year 13 and year 9, normal state schools, no weirdness at all.

Taking them out of school won't keep them away from this madness! I mean, you're not at school are you OP? And yet you know about it.

I can see where you're coming from, but you'll no more protect your child from the trans malarkey by homeschooling than you'll protect him from smoking, alcohol, gaming, junk food. This is the world we live in and teens will find these things, unless you literally keep him locked in a cave with no internet!

No I am not and would not consider that OP. That said, I have and continue to crawl all over all the dc's school policies and send comments/complaints in if they don't follow the equalities act (eg refer to gender rather than sex etc) and am particularly vigilant about the pshe policies). I also ask lots of questions that ensure they know that I (and hopefully other parents) really care about this.

Cats now? Holy moly. Surely this will shift the dial?

Absolutely- we're just arriving at the beginning of this fuckery. I am keeping my fingers crossed. At the very least my kids are not fertile grounds for this to take spread.

I am also teaching them to Be Respectful, rather then Be Kind, and to value what their bodies do (in various sports) rather than how it looks. I can't prevent everything, but I'll definitely die trying when it comes to this! 😅

@Sarahcoggles

I get your perspective but if they're not in school, they might still be aware of it but they won't be exposed to the peer pressure.

I don't think awareness itself is that threatening. Not in the context of a compassionate and informative home education.

The damaging thing is authority figures (teachers) espousing these views as though they are fact, and social contagion.

@Whatames

Thats reassuring to read.

The thing about home education is that they'll get to 18, maybe go to uni, and suddenly be hit with it all. I think we need to teach them how to survive in a world gone mad, rather than try to take them out of that world (which I don't think is a viable long-term plan).

To reiterate what I said earlier, I think you really need to do some research on what your local school is like, don’t be afraid to ask questions and for copies of resources. If you are mainly satisfied then school is usually the best option for most children.

If you don’t like what you find at the local school or like the idea of homeschooling regardless, then research is then needed on what homeschooling involves - there’s a board on MN for it. If you decide to home school it needs to be because you think that your child will thrive down that route, not just because you’re running away from a school that might or might not teach genderwoo.

There is new dept of education guidance due soon plus the Cass Review will hopefully publish more this year. You may find things are better by the time you need to make a school application.

This is a really good point.

Haven’t read the whole thread, but my kids are at a school with a v high Muslim population. We don’t have any of this nonsense, the parents wouldn’t stand for it. Don’t know if that might be an option for you OP

It’s very odd that people are actively looking to religion/ religious schools to counteract this. Gods/religion is a belief system that defies science too. Many children go to C of E schools, because of the way schools in this country were set up, but most don’t end up believing in gods because of that.

Years ago, I knew quite a few children and teens who were home schooled. They always seemed to be more comfortable in their own skin, more confident, balanced, mature and happy than those who went to school. For most of human history people lived in small groups. Even before this current madness I came to believe that large schools are damaging to many.

The other advantage of home schooling, is that it takes about half the time each day to complete the materials. This leaves lots of time for children to pursue other interests such as nature, fitness, music, cooking, construction, household responsibilities, etc. I think home schooled kids, when they finally go to university or the working world, would be quite resilient against this nonsense.

It's so important that kids only have access to echo chambers and don't listen to alternative views 🤔

Honestly. I am an atheist. I still think its important that they have religious education and embrace others points if views whatever mine is

I don’t think schools are espousing these views particularly. I also still think they most students in main stream schools seem pretty resistant to it. The kids I see getting swept up in it are the ones who might have previously been caught up in alternative cultures but they seems to have got swept up in trans stuff. I’d be much much more worried about internet groups and what they are seeking out that what teachers or other students are saying. I think you are barking up the wrong tree

We homeschool, not because of this issue specifically, but I'm glad my kid doesn't come into contact with trans issues. Homeschooling is hard work, and expensive in both time and money. Do it if you want to, and are able, but I would have to be motivated by more than just the trans agenda to make it work.

Funny how people seem to recognise that people of faith (church schools in particular) are the most likely to dismiss this nonsense as nonsense and hold to truth and morality... and yet in the same breath consider the very existence of Jesus to be unbelievable. Perhaps that's why we're in this mess in the first place. Who was it who said "He created them male and female" ... Oh that's right. Jesus.

DS went to a CoE primary school and had none of the gender nonsense. We’ve since moved and DD is a year into a non-religious primary. They’ve already had the No Outsiders guy in without telling the parents first and are doing loads of be kind nonsense. If you can’t homeschool then religious school seems to be the way to go.

I have a primary age granddaughter who I worry about. Her mother is very opposed to all the gender ID ideology bollox but does need to work full time. The school is not overly-affected (so far) but I can see it heading that way. But secondary school is where it really kicks in, I think.

Obviously as a grandmother I am at remove, but I am already figuring out how I can help in home schooling if need be.

I wish I was kidding. A photo of one of these "cats" has been doing the rounds on Facebook and WhatsApp. They look absolutely terrifying. I hope I never bump into them with my kids as I think they would genuinely be scared.

The school doesn't seem to be doing anything about it, apart from expelling other pupils for barking at them.

I think I just need to laugh because if I don't then I'll cry!

Not much would convince me to home school after lockdown! If it's at all reassuring to you OP, I get the impression that kids take it all with a pinch of salt - certainly mine do (pre teen and mid teen at state schools).
I'd imagine having trans teenagers in your family will lead to these discussions sooner rather than later in your household.

So interesting reading everybody's perspectives on here.

I know a couple of people have said that it's weird to be okay with exposing children to religion but not trans ideology but I don't see them as the same thing at all.

If my son goes to a CofE school, the other students aren't exactly going to pressure him into physically damaging himself to prove his Christianity. But with trans ideology + peer pressure, that's exactly what's happening.

Those cat-gender people sound terrifying @Kam610 I feel like I need to see the pictures, feel free to DM me 😂

It's also reassuring that others are finding that their teenagers are taking this all with a pinch of salt.