Sex not gender, No Outsiders changing the Equality Act, DepHead/DSL captured

[Vebrithien]

Well, here we are, with a whole new thread!

www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4713725-please-help-gender-not-sex-on-a-school-protected-characteristics-poster-just-spoken-to-the-head?page=10&reply=123546552

Thank you all, so so much for the support you have given me.

I am currently working on the draft of the message I want to send.

Long story short, DD's primary school displays posters by No Outsiders, showing the 9 protected characteristics of the Equality Act. Sex as been replaced with gender.

I have raised this with the Head, the assistant Head, and the Deputy Head (DepHead, as DH just doesn't work here). I have been reassured that sex is synonymous with gender in law, and, through an email stream, No Outsiders have reassured the school that it is deliberate, gender is easier to teach children than sex, especially as some will snigger at sex.

Oh, and teaching that gender is the difference between boys and girls, it makes it easier to then explain gender reassignment later on.

I'll put the message from the DepHead and No Outsiders here, and also my reply, in its current state.

Thank you all again!

@Vebrithien I should have been clearer I was not expecting you to include this. Your letter was excellent and stuck to the key points.

Yes, you did all you could and as much as was advisable for one letter, especially to this particular deputy head who may try to ‘close down’ all discussion.

A small update.

I have heard nothing yet back from the school.

I went to the Posie Parker support act, in Trowbridge today, which was wonderful.

Whilst I was there, a message came through from the school about a bullying and inclusion questionnaire that they would like us to fill in.

One of the question asks "how confident do you feel that the school protects children and parents with a protected characteristic".

I have not yet filled it it, but it felt like it was time. So I have outed myself on the WhatsApp group for my DD's year. I'll put below what I posted.

At school collection, I have a group of 5 women come up to me, and tell me how relieved they were to hear what I had to say. One is a member of the PTA, and has other parents who have been worried and complaining to her about the ethos as the school.

I've also had a few positive messages replying to my initial post.

So. I've just set up a private WhatsApp group for us, where we can coordinate our plans, and I can share all of the resources that I have collected.

I'm shaking, but utterly jubilant. One lady cried with relief.

Women's rights matter. Rise up, rise up and rise up again!

This was the message I sent to the year WhatsApp group:

This will be long, but I feel it is worth speaking out. It relates to the questionnaire sent out via Class Dojo today, and particularly the question about the protected characteristics.

Our school uses resources from an external provider (called No Outsiders), which misrepresent the Equality Act 2010.

On these posters (by the infant dining hall, and the junior hall), 8 out of the 9 protected characteristics are stated, word for word as they are in law. These include words such as; sexual orientation, gender reassignment, race

The 9th characteristic, which in law is "sex" has been replaced with "gender", which has no definition in law.

I initially raised this as a concern, as it is a legal requirement of schools to teach the Equality Act, and something that Ofsted looks for. The initial response was that the school thought the wording of the law was gender. Then, that the poster doesn't explicitly say that it is the Equality Act. Given that it has 9 categories on it, of which 8 exactly match the law, and only the wording of sex has been changed, I find this disingenuous.

Eventually, I received an email from the school, quoting the external provider, that they know that the poster should say sex, but they think it is easier to explain gender to children, and that the external provider states by using gender, it is then easier to explain gender reassignment.

They do not mention how they then explain sexual orientation (a protected characteristic) if the word sex is not used.

There is no legal definition of gender, and definitions of gender by the UK government, Stonewall and the WHO differ, but all three agree that gender has a social and cultural understanding. This directly discriminates against children and parents from a different race, culture or ethnicity (one of the 9 protected characteristics), as they may have different understandings of gender stereotypes.

Also, as there is no one definition of gender, it is difficult to see how it can clearly be taught to children with SEND (another protected characteristic), who have an exceptional need for clear and definable language.

I am awaiting a response from the school to my concerns. I have provided the school with references and resources that help explain my concern.

I am very happy to forward on any resources.

I will also attach a copy of the posters shown.

Whilst I agree that the message of inclusion and tolerance are important ones, one of the fundamental British values is the rule of law. This poster misrepresents the law.

Well done!@Vebrithien

Excellent work and I hope you will now feel more supported and the school will listen to your very reasonable concerns!

Poster

Well done OP. Just like KJK, you're giving parents a voice and a chance to speak up ijn the face of the outrageous gaslighting of a generation of children by a misogynistic, reality denying, dangerous mob dressed up as "education advisers".

👏

Bloody good job, @Vebrithien - have you had any replies to the What's App, yet?

I've had a a few thumbs up to the messages, a couple of messages of support on the whole year group chat, and two private messages, both offering to email the school and join my name under a formal complaint.

There are already 8 of us in the group I started an hour ago, and one of my friends is sharing my original messages with a different year group.

Ooh a joint formal complaint sounds promising - and not for the school. Good luck with that!

Good work! And great that you now have some backup.

I'd not see this thread before, but I am sooo happy for you @Vebrithien !

Well done for being brave and speaking up to other parents! Courage calls to courage!

Well done, a very excellent later and I'm really glad you've outed yourself and got support. A leader and inspirational, hats off to you. Xxx

"Courage calls to courage everywhere" well done OP.

Thank you 😊
Got the shakes this afternoon, what with all the adrenaline.

WOMEN STRONGER TOGETHER❤

You really are having rather an exceptional day today @Vebrithien 🍻

Yes, it has rather felt that way!

It was wonderful to meet like-minded people in Trowbridge, and then when the school questionnaire came through and mentioned protected characteristics, it felt like too much of a confidence to ignore.

The positive replies I've had as well, and that we end today with a group especially set up because we are worried, has made me feel really emotional. One of the ladies cried with relief, that there was someone else who had spoken out.

That feels pretty special, today.

This is the introduction, from the survey. It isn't being done by the school. I was partially pleased to see that sex was the first protected characteristic mentioned 😉

2022/23 V2 Embracing Difference, Ending Bullying - Parent/Carer Survey
Introduction

This survey is part of the “Embracing Difference, Ending Bullying” project, which is being run by the charity Diversity Role Models, and funded by the Department for Education. The purpose of this survey is to gain an understanding of how this school tackles bullying and celebrates diversity. The completed survey will be used by Diversity Role Models to help shape the training they are providing and develop an action plan for the school.

Your answers are anonymous and confidential. Diversity Role Models will not share any individual responses with the school and will use only anonymised data or anonymised comments to help shape the support we offer your school. Participation in the survey is voluntary; if you do choose to answer the questions, please do so honestly.

This survey mentions “protected characteristics”. This refers to the characteristics which are legally protected from discrimination, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. The protected characteristics are sex, race, disability, religion or belief, pregnancy or maternity, marriage or civil partnership, age, sexual orientation, and gender reassignment.

At the end of this survey, you will be asked a small number of demographic questions. These are optional, and you will be able to select a “prefer not to say” option if you choose not to answer. This information is anonymous and confidential. Any demographic information you provide can help us in reporting, help us to better understand your school's diversity, and compare the views and experiences of groups.

Well done OP. What a result! Just one person speaking out gives so many others the strength to do so as well.

Just seen your update OP. Beware, Diversity Role Models are full on gender woo. Glad to see them gettng the PCs right though!

Okay, thanks for the warning.

I am sure that they can pick and choose which replies to the survey they use. But it won't stop me pointing out that a senior member of staff didn't know that sex was a protected characteristic, and that they are arguing that the law shouldn't be taught as it is written.

How can they protect those they need to, if they can miss out completely one protected characteristic?

Just stopping by to applaud you, OP. I lost a long-term friend this week after sticking my head above the parapet to defend JKR when my friend (who had always seemed like a perfectly rational person to me) shared a horrible post referring to JKR as "Voldeterf". I gave evidence defending JKR and triggered a massive online pile-on from some other friends of hers (who I didn't know) calling me a terf, a bitch, transphobic, etc etc. She's now unfriended and blocked...

I hope OP that the school is duly shaken when they find out you are not a lone voice but that many other parents support you. If they keep not replying to you, make sure you chase them for a response.