My dd is starting a new school. I have concerns. Over 800 children attend this primary school.
I'm autistic and I find I often rub people the wrong way. I don't want to upset school I want them to rethink their policies and providers. Looking for some feedback from you wise people on the email I plan to send to school. It feels may be too long to me that they may tune out, but I don't know what to cut? Any, and all advice welcome!
Email:
I am concerned about how the school addresses gender and biological sex within school policies and have some questions.
Are you aware of the previous Attorney General Suella Braverman's speech (available https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/equalities-and-rights-conflict-and-the-need-for-clarity ) and how it pertains to schools and does the school follow her recommendations?
Can you provide me with your equalities policy as the website is confusing. There is no equalities policy on the link to all policies? There is only some information titled equalities information and objectives.?
Your equality objectives refers to gender where it should refer to sex in multiple places. Sex is the protected characteristic under the equality act not gender. In the table of protected characteristics in the row for sex it omits sex completely and refers to gender. Sex and gender are different things and these errors are concerning. Under the school policies there is currently no protection against sex-based discrimination.
I am concerned that children are being taught using the wrong words with gender being used in place of the word sex. Children with gender critical beliefs could be taught their beliefs are not inclusive as the resources used in PSHE and to write policies seem inappropriate. Gender critical beliefs should be protected under beliefs in the equality act.
The school bullying policy also completely omits biological sex as a protected characteristic instead using the word gender throughout. This is concerning as children with gender critical beliefs would be seen as bullies under this policy for their beliefs. They would also fall foul of the behaviour policy as their beliefs are taken as discriminatory and therefore misbehaviour. Bullying is abhorrent and I fully support the school in tackling such behaviour, regardless of beliefs, it is unacceptable to bully someone who holds a different belief to you. However stating you hold a different belief on sex and gender is not in itself bullying.
How do you ensure the rights of all protected characteristics are upheld and how is conflict between different groups considered?
Additionally I have concerns and questions regarding your sex education and relationships policies.
What CPD providers and training does school use with regard to your PSHE and related curriculum?
Have you ensured that thorough background checks are made on external organisations who provide school with training/resources and that these meet safeguarding standards. In particular I am concerned to see stonewall, the proud trust, and jigsaw references in your policies and would like to raise this as a concern with you and hope you will re-evaluate the appropriateness of such providers.
Stonewall categorises gender critical beliefs as transphobic. Stonewall guidance for schools is dangerous for girls. It also infringes on the right of every child to freedom of thought and freedom of speech. Stonewall resources and guidance are in breach of the Education Act 1996 which forbids political indoctrination of children in schools. Stonewall heavily influenced the Oxfordshire county councils trans inclusion toolkit which was withdrawn over concerns it was sexist and failed to protect female students.
Some of the proud trust resources breach the DfE guidance by suggesting that children might be a different gender based on their personality and interests or the clothes they prefer to wear. The proud trust resources on pronouns is compelled speech. Children should not be told that they should lie about their perception of reality if someone else wants them to. This goes against child safeguarding and is particularly damaging for children who are being abused.
Jigsaw also does not meet safeguarding standards. The Jigsaw programme has ground rules that are set using the Jigsaw Charter. One element of the charter is ‘We respect each other’s privacy (confidentiality)’. The effect of this is that from Year 1 onwards, children are told to keep the discussions during PSHE lesson secret from their parents. This is dangerous and puts children at risk of abuse. Children should never be told to keep secrets from their parent
I wholeheartedly believe gender education is important and the social construct of gender and gender stereotyping should be challenged. I am however concerned that the terms gender and sex are not interchangeable and gender is being used in place of sex within school policies and resources consistently and unlawfully and it’s therefore reasonable to assume incorrect language is being used with the children.
From the school relationships policy can you please clarify “Positively engage in social action and contribute to the wellbeing of others” please can you expand on this. What specifically is being taught to the children around this?
“To ensure the content and delivery of relationships education is appropriate and relevant to our pupils we use our learning we use our assessment data to ascertain what pupils already know, and what they need to learn.” Please can I see this assessment you will be giving?
“Distancing techniques are used to teach relationships education, which provides depersonalised examples which support children to explore what, is being taught without sharing their own personal experiences in the lesson”. Please can I see the examples you will be using for year 2 children.
From your sex education policy how do the resources listed link to the policy definition of sex education and the intent?
Under the year 2 scheme of work attached to the sex education policy:
Julian is a mermaid. Suggested reading Book. How will this book be discussed? Can I see the lesson plan on this? How does it link to the definition of sex education and the intent? This book appears to be on the topic of gender identity and shows transgender ideology, e.g. that it is possible to be born in the wrong body. This is a belief not a fact and should be taught as such. Sex and Relationships Education provided by schools is required to be factual, evidence-based and not to unreasonably go beyond what is required in law. The DfE ‘Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health Education’ guidance for primary is that the following topics are covered: families and people who care for me; caring friendships; respectful relationships; online relationships; being safe. The guidance that covers gender identity is for secondary level pupils, to teach it to year 2 pupils unreasonably goes beyond what is required in law.
How will Julian is a mermaid book be discussed following government guidance for schools that when teaching topics involving gender and biological sex there should be no suggestion that children might be a different gender based on their personality, interests or the clothes they prefer to wear (DfE guidance for schools:
Plan your relationships, sex and health curriculum, and Teaching about relationships, sex and health.)
I understand you have outsourced your PSHE and the subsequent potential effect on women and girls in your school is not at all intentional. I see simply by looking at your policies you have unknowingly followed groups like stonewall and jigsaw who are well known to use questionable tactics to achieve their ends. Hopefully you will be aware of some of what is happening in the news as it is slowly starting to make its way into mainstream media. I feel I have set out the case how it relates to school policy and curriculum but would like to share a film with you that will explain how this situation has come about in our institutions. Link below. Please please if you won’t watch it at least watch the last 16 minutes. But I urge you to watch the whole thing then go and do your own research on it. I also have countless other resources I can share if you are interested in finding out more.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=94HFMSm-JBo