School, science and sex

[YahdahYahdayYoo]

Can anyone please advise on statutory responsibility schools have teaching sex determination in secondary school? School insists it follows government guidance. Science teacher however is teaching sex is spectrum and chromosome nonsense. I want to talk to the head of science but wondered if there was any specific guidance that I could bring up (in addition to the anti-science rant m planning). I'm sure the NC hasn't (yet!) been changed to fit the New Think agenda...

Sex is obviously not a spectrum, but what do you mean by 'chromosome nonsense'?

Well he or she is not teaching the curriculum and is going rogue. Ask where in the science curriculum or exam board this sex spectrum is listed if you want to get them trying to justify it. You should be able to find the exam syllabus online. If it’s a big enough school, ask to see the Head of Biology/ most senior biology teacher. I would hope this ‘science’ teacher is not a biology specialist.

Where in the UK are you, because it differs.

We're in South West, y8. The chromosome nonsense is XX can be men, and how terrible XYs not allowed to compete in women's sports etc. I'll be gutted if this is a biologist but frankly I'm pretty gutted this is a science teacher full stop. Imagine the outcry if they taught the Bible as biological fact in evolution lessons.

As a former science teacher that is not ok and you need to mention to the Head of Dept.

Year 8 should be
Puberty
Reproductive systems
Specialised cells Sperm / Egg journey through reproductive systems
Fertilisation
Development from fertilised egg to birth
Menstrual Cycle
Contraception

IVF/ multiples

I am head of science in an English comp. I have just today finished writing a policy for my dept to use as guidance when teaching KS3 reproduction. The national curriculum is simple and straightforward. Male and female. The situation you describe is the exact reason I have written a very clear policy that I will be able to use to hold others to account should the need arise.

Specification is quite clear about teaching sex. xx is female, xy is male. Nothing at all about gender.

I know it's a little off topic but I think this statement from our Y7 textbook is close to perfect.

Thank you for your input. I'll be contacting the head of science today. Not sure whether to go for email first ie in writing and possibly be ignored, or phone so I get an answer but no record. I like to have a paper trail ☺️

Phone call followed by an email “As per our discussion today …..”

This leaves a paper trail but starts with more productive communication.

OMG is all I can say!

This is taken from the AQA GCSE Biology specification. Obviously what pupils learn in earlier years feeds into later exams. It does make you wonder if people like this want their pupils to actually pass?

There are some XX males. See here:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/xx-male

I've been told that DSDs such as this means sex is a spectrum, but the cases are v rare so I can't agree that makes it a spectrum

More importantly, we shouldn't allow discussion of this point to influence the gender debate because most trans people and NBs do not have a DSD

I've looked into this before and indeed there are chromosomal abnormalities. There may even be XYs that have given birth and even one of two true hermaphodites in the world. Such is the beauty of natural variation. It may be more scientifically accurate to talk about bodies that have the biology intended to make large gametes and those that make small gametes. However, this is Y8 biology class.The teacher also spoke about gender spectrum rather than sex spectrum thus confusing a perfectly good scientific term with an ideological term. Scientific illiteracy! And as you say DSDs include tiny amounts of people so hardly a spectrum, and in no way a justification for the betesticled Semenya to run against women in the Olympics.

The really annoying thing about this nonsense in schools is that even the TRAs don't care a jot about DSDs etc. It's just a tactic they use to muddy the waters, "intersex people exist therefore sex is a spectrum therefore 55 year old divorced AGPs can use the ladies" and institutions all just dance to their tune.

It's more likely that the teacher is not a science specialist or even a qualified teacher and trying to teach whilst bringing in the current societal trends. It's quite common for PE teachers to teach science as many have covered human biology, although they should know better, but I know TAs and even Science technicians take lessons if the school is really struggling to recruit and they have a science background, often they have the best intentions but not the training to go with it. The Head of Science should nip this in bud quickly.

It is easy enough to cover other more unusual circumstances in a brief sentence stating that humans are all individuals and some medical conditions mean that people's bodies can work in a different way but that you are covering general mammal/human reproduction during the lesson...and then get on with it.