@TheAmpleRedTurtle Few points that occur, part of my own school investigations into teaching this nonsense:
Don’t teach ideology as fact. In RSHE, you must avoid presenting contested ideas (like “everyone has a gender identity” or “cisgender”) as objective truth. Frame them as opinions some people hold, and give a balanced account. The 2025 RSHE guidance says schools “should not teach as fact that all people have a gender identity” and warns against materials that oversimplify gender identity or portray social transition as a simple solution.
Use the political-impartiality rule. When a topic is political/contested, schools must forbid promotion of one-sided views and ensure a balanced presentation of opposing views. If a slide deck asserts “cisgender” as a given, ask to amend it so it’s taught as a contested term with alternative perspectives included. (Education Act 1996 ss.406–407; DfE guidance updated Mar 21, 2025.)
Stick to age-appropriate, factual RSHE and show parents the materials. RSHE 2025 requires transparency: schools should make all materials available to parents and be cautious about partisan resources. Use this to push back on third-party slides that promote an activist line.
Protect your own lawful belief. Gender-critical views (“sex is real, binary and matters”) are a protected philosophical belief. You can request a reasonable accommodation not to endorse terminology you don’t believe in, provided you remain respectful to pupils. (Forstater EAT, 2021; subsequent ET discrimination finding 2022.)
Recent case law helps. The Court of Appeal found a school unlawfully discriminated against an employee over gender-critical social-media posts—emphasising protected belief and proportionality. That strengthens your right to raise concerns politely through proper channels.
Safeguarding context (Cass). The Cass Review highlights a weak evidence base and urges caution around social transition and teaching materials that over-simplify. You can reference this to justify a careful, non-directive approach.
Something you could ping to your head of department perhaps -
Hi xxx, for next week’s session the deck presents “cisgender” and related concepts as settled facts. I'm concerned that I and the school may be unknowingly hitting some rules and guidelines here - Under RSHE (July 2025) we shouldn’t teach as fact that all people have a gender identity, and should avoid oversimplified visuals or implying social transition is a simple solution; we must also keep political impartiality and provide balanced views (EA 1996 ss.406–407; DfE Political Impartiality guidance). Please can we amend the slides so these terms are framed as contested, include opposing perspectives, and ensure any third-party material is neutral and shareable with parents? I’m happy to deliver a factual, age-appropriate, balanced lesson and to avoid endorsing terminology I don’t hold, consistent with protected-belief case law.