Using preferred pronouns in primary school

[itispersonal]

We have just been told a child in our school who has been dressing 'of the opposite gender' is now wanted to change their name and use different pronouns.

Where do teaching staff stand on this... I'm tolerable to using their preferred name but not pronouns and won't be going along that they are of the opposite sex.

New draft consultation from the government looks to side with those who are GC (but it is non statutory) and said no one "should be compelled to use these preferred pronouns"

Agreeing to a child's request to have others use different pronouns about them is a significant decision. Primary school aged children should not have different pronouns to their sex-based pronouns used about them.
For older children, schools do not need to specify pronouns to be used about each pupil and can decline a request to change a child's pronouns. Where a school or college considers a child's request, they should consult the child's parents and consider all the relevant factors as outlined above. Having considered these factors and examined all the evidence, schools and colleges should only agree to a change of pronouns if they are confident that the benefit to the individual child outweighs the impact on the school community. It is expected that there will be very few occasions in which a school or college will be able to agree to a change of pronouns. On these rare occasions, no teacher or pupil should be compelled to use these preferred pronouns and it should not prevent teachers from referring to children collectively as 'girls' or 'boys, even in the presence of a child that has been allowed to change their pronouns. Even in the exceptional case where safeguarding requires a school or college to take an alternative approach, schools and colleges should exhaust all other options, such as using first names, to avoid requiring other individuals having to use preferred pronouns. In these exceptional cases, schools or colleges should make sure that all relevant staff are aware of a gender questioning child's biological sex, to fulfil their safeguarding and legal duties.

Could work take action for not using the preferred pronouns? If when interacting with the child they are still treated with respect. The county council has form for taking staff to court but can't find an update on the appeal.

The latest version of kcsie is statutory in sept.

It cites Cass - the draft gender questioning guidelines are to support Cass.

You could raise it with slt as this is social transition which is not a neutral act and send them Cass

I've not really answered your q but Cass makes it clear clinicians should be involved. I can't see how you could be prosecuted as the child hasn't changed sex but it could get tricky.

From a safeguarding pov the child needs to know they are the sex they are

That's a difficult position to be in, OP.

So confusing for other children.

Can you raise it and ask all those questions? I understand many of the unions are going to be less than helpful.

Are you primary or secondary?

Primary!

Parents are happy with name change and pronouns, parent brought it up. School has apparently taken advice and are going along with it!

I think it's confusing for the other children and if get children to lie about this, how do they ever trust adults- as well as all the issues for it! The Cass report, the draft consultation all support wait and see! This children is still early in their primary education.

Ffs.

Who has given "advice" ?

Also, who delivers the safeguarding training in the school?

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/parent-first-approach-at-the-core-of-new-guidance-on-gender-questioning-children

This maybe of some use. There are a few bits on pronouns.

Sorry I didn’t see you had already referred to this.

Yes this is what I've found but it's non satutory and a draft! So can I quote it at school??

Also found this on a legal website

Schools that have adopted a toolkit, similar to the one introduced by Brighton and Hove Council in 2021 and replicated by a number of other local authorities may also have to reconsider their approach. The toolkit provides that schools should respect a child's request to change their name and pronoun as a 'pivotal' part of supporting their identity, as well as other changes such as switching to wearing trousers or a skirt. A legal opinion published by Karon Monaghan KC concludes that schools and councils using the toolkit are very likely to be in breach of equality and human rights legislation and could be sued by unhappy parents. She also says that forcing staff to use a child's chosen pronouns would be in direct conflict with the beliefs of staff and other children who are gender-critical and could violate their rights.

But then we have stories like teacher 'Hannah' who lost her job for refusing and other teachers who got sacked for refusing! So it is confusing! However these were before Dec 2023 - can't find an outcome for teacher Hannah's appeal- is it still pending?

And the union are well in bed with gender ideology so won't be much use!

This thread might be useful?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4941834-10-year-old-non-binary-friend

I stand by what I said in it - required pronouns is discrimination against kids with learning difficulties, low literacy, and different religions/beliefs than the identifying child, and is also how we get social contagion. Your school is harming both this child and all the other children if it requires obedience to this ideology.

https://safeschoolsallianceuk.net/resources-2/factsheets/

Also see Transgender Trend and Sex Matters.

@nothingcomestonothing

This is another of my feeling - oh the other children are so accepting it's their parents who will have issue. Children don't know any different, but they are being encouraged to lie and without a say! Will they be told off if they say the wrong pronoun or name?

Other staff saying it's the just like the next barrier - like racism and sexuality. No it's actually not.

We already have unisex toilets which now all smell of pee and horrible to use! Which impacts on girls and their toileting habits and comfort!

Our school walked the line between not using pronouns they'd been told (by the parents) upset the child and not actually lying. So the trans kids are always referred to by name, not he or she.

Yes the children will be accepting because they trust the adults who are employed at their school. What does it say about those adults, if they are willing to exploit that trust and gaslight the children who trust them? Nothing good. To quote Glinner, don't tell children they can be born in the wrong body, because they are children and will believe you.

Your colleagues are either true believers or #bekind non thinkers. How you best deal with them depends which you assess them to be.

It's going to be a name change and pronouns!!!!!!!

It literally says Primary in the title!

Gender critical beliefs are protected by the law.

I'm not sure the unisex toilets are legal wither.

Are you in a union?

Do you have legal cover on your house insurance?

I would raise this with SLT.

They may be naive to what Cass actually says and this may have been discussed and agreed with parents before the updated safeguarding guidelines came out (KCSIE.)

It needs to be laid out for them and the potential harm that could occur. Social transition is not a neutral act.

Who ever is "advising" them may also not be as aware of Cass and kcsie as they should be.

They are very unlikely to be aware that the NHS training materials are also in line with Cass and can be found here. www.minded.org.uk/Catalogue/Index?HierarchyId=0_59819&programmeId=59819

(Teaching professionals can make a feee account to access them)

I agree that the case you've linked would be worth sharing with them, to illustrate both the lack of due diligence in the advice, especially post Cass, but also how LAs and others who might "advise" are woefully ignorant to the wider issues.

12.31 in Cass may be useful

And 71-79, especially 76.

That social transition tends to mean child is more likely to move to medical pathway.

I'd then be describing the growing numbers of detransitioners, including those who did so as adults. Children do not have ability to understand the wider implications

My boys (twins) turned 4 this month and will be starting primary school this September. I’m dreading it.

It was just spoken about this week message from parents on Tuesday! So no one has really looked into it! I've no idea who is advising but all of SLT seems to be onboard and staff have been told to keep opinions to themselves!

It's not opinions though; based on evidence in Cass this child has started a medical pathway.

You can't discuss the life long impact of the medication on their sexual function, continence and fertility with children.

Raise this with the DSL and the DSL governor. Raise it as a safeguarding concern in writing, quoting key paragraphs.

In addition to all the excellent advice above, this is what SLT need to read - written by a clinical psychologist.
They're dabbling in sex change for children - a social experiment with potentially devastating psychological consequences. Keep framing the issues as "an experiment". Ask what qualifications adults in schools have in transitioning children and selling a lie to other children?

https://www.transgendertrend.com/childhood-social-transition/

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