"Teachers to tell children Gender Ideology is a contested belief"

[WarriorN]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/05/14/teachers-pupils-gender-ideology-trans-guidance/

Teachers will have to make clear that gender ideology is a “contested belief” rather than fact if they bring it up in lessons, Gillian Keegan will say later this week.
The Education Secretary is set to issue guidance on Thursday following criticism that some pupils were being taught that there were 72 genders.
Schools will not be told to hold lessons on gender ideologygy, which states that people can be born the wrong sex and that they can change their identity to the opposite sex or other categories such as non-binary.*
But if they do hold lessons on the issue, they must make it clear that it is a contested belief.
In other words, they must say that the “gender-critical” beliefef that there are just two biological sexes is also valid.*
The guidance - which will be out for consultation - will also order schools to show parents all classroom material to ensure they are comfortable with what is being taught.

It isn’t just being taught in RSE though, is it? It is being taught in assemblies in diversity, equality etc. It is being implicitly taught if children of the opposite sex are allowed to use what should be same sex toilets/changing rooms/sports etc.

I think teach the biological facts, teach them that humans uniquely among all mammals have come up with ways of preventing fertilisation of egg by sperm and some very basic information. Explain the law (sexual activity at X age is unlawful etc) but that some people do it anyway and say that anyone thinking of engaging in sex should go and talk to school nurse / pastoral / parent and that the adults in their lives who love them will help them and provide them with the information they need, as they will.

Show them some real life action videos about what it's like looking after a new baby. This is one part of PHSE that is entirely lacking.

Why do so many people in schools or charities think they know better than parents? There's this sneering attitude which is not only not respectful nor appropriate for the child's wellbeing (which should be paramount and requires a good relationship between home and school) but is also IMO flying very close to being a safeguarding concern. There is a lot of adultification going on, this is not appropriate.

It's a fact that the vast, vast majority of parents are far more likely to prioritise the wellbeing of their child than any teacher or adult in a charity or in school. It's just fact. And we know paedophiles try very hard to get into these positions. It's lunacy to disregard parents in favour of so called 'experts' when it comes to their own children. THEY ARE the experts in their own children.

In practical terms, I think this new guidance is going to raise a lot of issues on the ground, such as how schools explain to pupils that a primary school teacher identifies as non-binary without being caught by the rules, how teachers are supposed to deal with questions from pupils about a trans-identifying pupil/parent without being caught by this or implying they're delusional, etc.

Obviously, these kinds of questions should have arisen long before now, instead of everyone doing the emperor's new clothes thing, but I do feel very sorry for the teachers who've been told to do things one way under threat of being fired for not complying, and who will be on the frontline of reversing the previous position.

I think in the long run, this step will be a net positive, but as with the earlier social transitioning guidance, it often feels like the government forget that it's not as simple as "don't teach this stuff" because it's already been taught for a good few years now and lots of children and teachers are already fully on board with the idea that gender identity is a real thing, and have often already made permanent/long-term changes to their bodies and lives based on these beliefs.

It's not a question of "knowing better than parents." You wouldn't say this about ani other type of education. The facts are many parents don't want to have sex education talks with their children. They also don't often have the resources or the understanding of age appropriate information. Just as they might not be able to home educate their children in all subjects to age appropriate standards.

Because of the whole gender shit show and Stonewall etc in schools plenty of us rightly do have grave concerns about safeguarding in schools. I don't want to have education suffer as well. I want safeguarding and education to go hand in hand.

My dc are mid to late 20s now but I assume parents still have to consign consent forms?

such as how schools explain to pupils that a primary school teacher identifies as non-binary without being caught by the rules

Why? NB has no legal underpinning at all. Even if it did for adults, the safeguarding of children is paramount. They must not have to prop up adults' imagined ideas of self. That is adultification.

how teachers are supposed to deal with questions from pupils about a trans-identifying pupil/parent without being caught by this or implying they're delusional, etc

They'll just have to move it swiftly on. "None of your business, now do you work" kind of thing.

Schools are pressed, aren't they? They don't have to choose to prioritise this, the government is giving them a way out.

I should have added many children don't want to talk about it with their parents. Would rather have single sex lessons with their peers.

I think there need to be questions asked about to what extent any Teacher who is imposing their identity on and asking for compliance from children is doing their job i.e. acting in the best interests of those children.

What happened to people doing their job and no-one caring that much about their inner life or feelings as long as they did their job?

The facts are many parents don't want to have sex education talks with their children

Can you provide evidence for this? I don't believe it, not these days. I believe that may have been true in the past when everyone was very religious and religions were generally anti-sex and / or anti-contraception.

My older child finds it far less embarrassing to have sex ed talks with me than in a classroom full of boys. She also trusts me to tell her the truth, which is not the case with a lot of teachers, sad to say.

I would also say that any "adultification" should be addressed. Although that is a vague term.

We really have been let down by gender stuff and stonewalp on schools. Getting rid of it is going to be hard and needs to be done thoroughly. It's already been enmeshed in other things. For eg trying to tie it in with Section 28z

Well that's great that you have that kind of relationship with your child. Many do not.

This! What happened to Safer Recruitment?

And also when children are required to "validate" teachers or other adults.

And, as I say, parents not trusting their child's teacher is a casualty of this bollocks. Along with so many other things.

They must not have to prop up adults' imagined ideas of self. That is adultification.

This is happening though. Sadly I haven't seen anything explicit about this in any guidance, so it's likely to continue.

Parents might not be experts (although they will have had sex to conceive a child and managed to raise that child successfully and safely, so, you know, there is that 'lived experience' which a lot of younger teachers won't have) but they have the skills and resources to identify who an appropriate source of information for their family is.

Just as more and more parents are choosing to homeschool and employ tutors / homeschooling companies to help them, often with great success.

And frankly I do often know better than a lot of teachers on some things - it's shocking how bad some of the maths teachers are. I also know my own children far, far better than any teacher or 'expert' and so can tailor my messages to them in an age appropriate way that any outside 'experts' cannot.

The biology of sex and contraception isn't rocket science.

Also @Ginnyweasleyswand I said single sex classes. I mean co educational schools dividing pupils into single sex sessions for sex education to be clear. This is imperative in my opinion.

I think there need to be questions asked about to what extent any Teacher who is imposing their identity on and asking for compliance from children is doing their job i.e. acting in the best interests of those children.

In my experience there is a great reluctance to challenge them for fear of falling foul of the Equality Act.

That, and a tremendous amount of embarrassment.

I just think that is too naive @Ginnyweasleyswand

"Parents might not be experts (although they will have had sex to conceive a child and managed to raise that child successfully and safely, so, you know, there is that 'lived experience' which a lot of younger teachers won't have) but they have the skills and resources to identify who an appropriate source of information for their family is. "

That assumption that all children are being raised "successfully and safely " by a parents. It sounds like you're limiting your ideas to your family and friends.

What does "successfully and safely " even mean come to that? Have we all got the same opinions on that?

I mean it's a lovely idea but does it reflect the real world?

This is where the focus on the EQA has been to the detriment of children. How on earth it became the Single Most Overriding Important Thing, is beyond me.

No one has a right to teach children, or to work with them. This is what Safer Recruitment was for. Seems everywhere has effectively shelved it.

We need a public inquiry.

You're right, *ResisterRex". Our DSL laughed at me when I said this was a safeguarding issue!

I've got no trouble with teaching biological facts and contraception methods to primary school kids. In fact, I think there's a plus to teaching it before puberty kicks in, as then it's just another fact like "what a volcano is" and "how digestion works".
Give the parents the full content beforehand so they can add their own gloss (e.g. no sex before marriage, no contraception) before or after the lessons, and Bob's yer uncle.

• This is how babies are conceived.
• This is what a period is.
• This is how you avoid babies being made.
• This is how the different methods work.
• Some religions have rules about when people should or should not have intercourse or use contraception - this is something your religious leaders or your family will discuss with you.

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