Help me complain to the school

[hyperbolicnonsense]

My son showed me the student bulletin distributed at his secondary school last week. This is what it said:

"You may be aware that the government is trying to introduce a guidance for schools and colleges on gender questioning children' for England. All children and young people have the right to education free from discrimination and LGBT+ young people are no exception. The proposed guidance, which remains in draft, seeks to deny the existence of transgender pupils, discouraging them from coming out and being their authentic selves, and could lead to young people being forcibly outed to parents and teachers. This approach will erase decades of progress in making schools places that value difference and reject discrimination. It hampers teachers' ability to tackle bullying and ultimately risks casing more harm and exclusion of trans young people. Schools desperately need guidance that offers practical guidance on creating school environments that support trans pupils to thrive. We are calling on the Government to listen to LGBT+ young and inclusive educators and rethink their approach'.

I would like MN to help me formulate a response to the school. I think their statement is awful. The use of hyperbolic language (deny the existence) is harmful to all children and perhaps most especially gender questioning children. It's manipulative and disrespectful. We know that the current affirmation at the expense of exploration approach is causing harm and that it actually prevents children from being able to explore fully and therefore 'be their authentic self'. The guidance could lead to children getting a lot more support rather than being 'outed' but that's not mentioned. The decades of progress mentioned have felt like decades of regression to many - especially as regards the rights of women and girls. This is a very partisan statement and does not create a space which respects the gender critical beliefs which many children have but feel unsafe in expressing. The author is writing only about creating a safe spaces for trans children and whilst that's important, it's also important to recognise the reality of sex-based oppression and create a space which also protects against that. I think it's good to raise children's awareness of this consultation but it it completely inappropriate to point them towards only one side of a deeply divided debate and given that it is the female voice which is being silenced, this is a deeply sexist action.

What did your son make of it?

He feels completely unsafe to express any views re gender identity but thinks it's a deeply sexist movement. He thought it was hypocritical that teachers can't comment on their own beliefs except re trans issues.

I am surprised that this was included in a bulletin aimed at the students. If it had been a newsletter to parents that might have been different; parents could have commented if they saw it as one-sided. But it is a bit confusing for the children to get a grip on I think.

Thank you mischance. Yes, confusing foe the kids some of whom are as young as 11.

I do not see this bulletin as acceptable; but schools are terrified of not toeing the party line and finding themselves downgraded by OfSted.

To my mind, this should lead them to be downgraded. It's very harmful to vulnerable people to use language such as 'denying existence'.

This is outrageous. Schools have a duty to be politically impartial. You are absolutely right to complain in the strongest terms op. The guidance does not erase or deny anyone's existence. It is informed by the Cass Review and safeguarding.

To be honest I think you've drafted your complaint already in the OP.

Schools have the statutory duty to remain politically impartial. This is a political issue

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools/political-impartiality-in-schools

Refer and link to these rules in your complaint https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools/political-impartiality-in-schools

I'd also link and refer to the Cass Review.

Schools are under the Public Services Equality Duty, which required them to foster good relations between holders of different protected characteristics. Their statement does not do that.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-sector-equality-duty-guidance-for-public-authorities#:~:text=This%20guidance%20is%20intended%20to,equality%20of%20opportunity%20for%20all.

Good advice so far.
The school is taking a political position which as others have pointed out they should not be doing.

"schools must prohibit the promotion of partisan political views
should take steps to ensure the balanced presentation of opposing views on political issues when they are brought to the attention of pupils"
Section 406 & 407 Education Act 1996".

It also contains a worrying breach of safeguarding legislation by claiming that the draft "seeks to deny the existence of transgender pupils, discouraging them from coming out and being their authentic selves, and could lead to young people being forcibly outed to parents and teachers".

No groups of children should be removed from the protections offered by Keeping Children Safe in Education. Schools have a statutory responsibility to use safeguarding legislation in relation to all children. This is activist language being used by the school in communication to children and warrants a serious complaint to the school and governors

And this is the approach that the school objects to -extract from the guidance:

1. Schools and colleges have statutory duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children.
2. Schools and colleges should be respectful and tolerant places where bullying is never tolerated.
3. Parents should not be excluded from decisions taken by a school or college relating to requests for a child to ‘socially transition’.
4. Schools and colleges have specific legal duties that are framed by a child’s biological sex.
5. There is no general duty to allow a child to ‘social transition’.

https://consult.education.gov.uk/equalities-political-impartiality-anti-bullying-team/gender-questioning-children-proposed-guidance/supporting_documents/Gender%20Questioning%20Children%20%20nonstatutory%20guidance.pdf

I'd be asking what it is about these basic principles that the schools objects to?

Is the student bulletin something the students produce or the school to give to the students? Either way it's bad, but if it's coming from a small cohort of students it's not as bad as actual teachers doing it...

I'd be really worried that a school that saw nothing wrong with giving that out to students would be failing safeguarding left, right and centre. I actually think, if that had been given to my DD, I'd be taking her out of school (i.e. not sending her in) until I'd had a meeting and SLT had explained to me in detail that they understand KCSIE and their safeguarding duty.

Saying a government document is seeking to 'deny' a child's existence is emotional abuse. They are deliberately stoking mental health problems and anxiety based on falsehoods it's deeply irresponsible.

If it's coming from teachers it's also ignoring the Cass review and medical evidence. If we weren't in upside down TRAliban world I'd say it was unbelievable.

I'd probably be sending it to Ofsted who, whilst they have been captured in the past I believe are beginning to realise the safeguarding problems with ridiculous harmful statements such as found in that bulletin.

Thanks guys. This is great. This was written by a teacher. Very concerning to see what some adults consider appropriate.

It's also worth pointing out that safeguarding children is an adult responsibility that must not be delegated to children. Yet this is what the school are doing.

It's really shocking yet typical of the emotoinal manipulation of children by certain adults. And yes to a complaint to Ofsted who are currently reverse ferreting at speed.

Can people say more about how the breaches the Cass review? I don't feel I understand that well.

Would you complain to the school or straight to Ofsted? or both?

Re Cass - these are activist slogans. Cass has already pointed out that socially transitioning children is not a neutral act. The draft guidance follows that principle yet this school is openly pushing for the transitioning of "trans children" in secret from their parents - positioning parents as a potential enemy.
Speak to any safeguarding social worker or police officer and they'll confirm that they cannot remove parental rights / responsibilities without going through the courts. Schools do not have this power no matter what transactivists tell them.
Honestly - a teacher sending that to children really is a disciplinary matter.

Personally I'd start with the school in order to be fair. It may be that there was no management oversight. But I'd insist that this is formally and publicly withdrawn with a guarantee that the school will never again breach their responsibility for political impartiality to children.
But I'd probably mention that I saw this as so serious involving children in this way that I'd be considering a complaint to Ofsted if the school is unable to 1. acknowledge breaching the rules of impartiality and 2, attempting to involve children in matters of safeguarding.

I second this.

Ofsted can swoop in on a no notice safeguarding inspection, from parental complaints.

Is the content of this bulletin vetted at all; or is it just one teacher who edits it? Having been a school governor I would be wanting the governors to get involved; and I would have thought the head should see the bulletins before they finish up in the hands of the pupils. It is not just the content that needs to be questioned but also the process.

I think you just need to send your complaint in exactly as you wrote it in your opening post. It's really well
Written.

I wouldn’t complain - just let people live and let live. You don’t know if there are any trans children in the school. Unless any single sex places are becoming mixed sex (eg: toilets, changing rooms etc:) then there’s no issue imo.