My son’s school insisting he calls NB teacher Mx

[Justme56]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/01/my-sons-school-insisting-he-calls-non-binary-teacher-mx/

‘Confusion about the rights of staff to have their identity recognised, is undermining the rights of children to be protected from dogma’

But calling this chap ‘Mx’ isn’t all that’s happening according to the article:

He was, parents were told, said to have neither a “male nor female identity”. Staff already appeared to be referring to him as “they”.

this guy is bringing with him a whole raft of gender woo woo. In your original analogy, he’s turned up with a bunch of creationist text books

just because you were subjected to Christian woo woo and turned out basically ok, it doesn’t mean that’s the right way to teach kids

I would also feel quite ridiculous saying Mix Smith or Mux Jenkins etc. I also do think it quite important that children are clear what sex their teacher is and this is nothing to do with what gender stereotypes they may or may not be in line with as that is just a load of bollox. I'm all for Mr and Ms as it's not their business if the teacher is married or not.

Interesting, my comp have a Mx starting in September, I’m not sure how it will work as the kids mostly call teachers Sir/Miss. I think it would be easier if we started getting the kids to use first names, it seems so old fashioned to use titles, like where else in society insists on that?

I’ve worked with teachers who insist on being addressed as Dr Surname, Mx Surname isn’t much different and in itself isn’t problematic, it’s third person pronouns that are tricky I think.

Sorry, I misread your post.

But this individual seems to want the children to refer to him as they/them as well as using his chosen title. This is going further than just talking about his religion, it's trying to get the children to take part in it and join him in his pretence that he is neither male nor female.

I think an honorific one is entitled to through years of study - three to four for a full time PhD, and a thesis of up to 100,000 words - is rather different from one adopted through a mistaken notion that one is special by virtue of hoping so.

Perhaps more of us should ask to be called Mx then, just using it as a non-specific title (eg one you could use it you didn't know a person's sex, rather than if they thought they didn't have one).

It is not a ‘preferred’ title though, it is a job title, even if it is a job that is based on an imaginary sky spirit. He will have gone through some recognised training and/or tests before being able to have ‘Father’ as his title. It is not something he has just chosen to call himself.

Non-binary people must be terrifying! What did they do?

the young female ones tend to get mastectomies and in extreme circumstances males get castrated or “nullified” so, yes, introducing the concept into primary school is not appropriate.

Males who identify as NB use it as an excuse to use female spaces or provisions.

If you are NB in the Green Party you may stand for roles designated for men or women, thus doubling your chances of election.

it also means that in those positions, where sex parity was intended, you can end up with two males or two female. Thus leading to sex discrimination under the veil of inclusion.

Really?

Fairly obviously, a Mr can supervise boys in the changing room, and not girls. A Mrs / Ms / Miss can supervise girls in the changing room, and not boys. Likewise for sharing accommodation on school camps. Or discussing sensitive topics where a student has asked to speak with a teacher of the same sex.
This "let's pretend sex is irrelevant and makes no difference" schtick is not good. Where does it come from?
(OTOH I don't think I'd object if my child had a Mx teaching him. I'd just clarify with him if his teacher was a man or a woman and make sure he understood any of the teacher's beliefs about not having a sex were irrational - respect the person, but not their irrational ideas).

Telegraph reporting on this or a different school:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/01/my-sons-school-insisting-he-calls-non-binary-teacher-mx/?recomm_id=ec300e4c-87ba-4b16-8730-644999ee376c

https://archive.ph/5N5ei

"Rev" , "Father" and "Sister" used as titles are also used entirely on the basis of a made-up belief system. Gender ideology is a load of crap but teaching children how to act with respect towards believers in made-up bollocks is an important life skill. So long as the parents are able to explain to the the child that the teacher's belief in how uniquely special they are such that they need to be addressed as Mx is their personal belief that no one else has to share, but using their preferred title is nevertheless appropriate, then that's ok.

But if vulnerable children, and some children are very vulnerable, those who are ND for example, buy into the whole non binary thing then at a later date they could be persuaded that what they really needed to make them happy was radical surgery, or chemical treatments that change their bodies for ever and cause long term health issues.

Not many Christians, even the evangelicals, go in for body modification and chemical castration.

I think that's the same link as in the OP, but thanks for the archive link - I couldn't find one yesterday.

Afaik 98% of the world is 'non-binary' i.e. do not have a 'gender identity', meaning they don't believe in gender ideology or think they have a Cartesian 'soul' running their 'meat suit' so I don't see the point in 'explaining' a 'non-binary' teacher and am actively hostile to the idea of explaining or teaching gender ideology ideas such as that you can feel that you are neither a man nor a woman. Feelings are irrelevant to reality, being unverifiable. OP should tell school that her DS will not be using this form of address.

So if a teacher was a priest they shouldn't call him him Father Jones ? I'm an atheist and have no issue with that as it's his belief and what he calls himself

It’s a title related to his actual profession. He is an ordained priest. Whether you believe in his God or otherwise doesn’t signify.

I'm not Catholic and have no problem with calling a priest Father,

However, I did once have a friend who was reported by the local priest because she called him "sir" and not "Father".

She worked in the local post office. The priest corrected her. "Sorry, sir - I'm not actually Catholic so I can't do that," and he demanded to see the manager. That was a long time ago, however.

I'm not sure what the answer is.

So non binary is a religion? The issue is that the teacher believes that he’s not a man or woman and is asking children to participate in that belief.

other religions do not demand the daily participation in the belief holder’s beliefs in this way.

Grammernut, I didn't suggest gender ideology should've taught in schools. I said that it could be explained that the teacher thinks they are non binary. Completely excluding it won't help either because kids will go elsewhere to get info and won't feel as though they can talk to staff.

I'm sure the teacher can cope with being called whatever comes naturally to the pupil. I've been a teacher and was routinely called 'Miss' even though I was married. And even though I'm not in the slightest bit attached to be called 'Mrs' - in fact I'm not keen on it - I just roll with it if that is what others feel comfortable with or what comes naturally to them.

Teachers making a big play over pronouns is unnecessary. 'Miss' or 'Sir' work just fine.

This isn't a pronoun.