Bridget Phillipson says no teacher should be compelled to use someone’s preferred pronouns in an education setting

[WarriorN]

I would prefer a direct quote so happy to be corrected on this:

https://x.com/parentsfored/status/2021665936420614340?s=46&t=A2fpFNgDRyXF2d6ye97wEA

Ah, here

I assume this applies for pupils; it’s would be completely fucked up and outrageous if not

That's interesting. The gender questioning children draft guidance supports this - (see 6.3)

Shame that Phillipson can't be arsed to produce the final version but if this is true then it might suggest that the stranglehold the AGP men / trans extremists have on education policy for children is loosening?

consult.education.gov.uk/equalities-political-impartiality-anti-bullying-team/gender-questioning-children-proposed-guidance/supporting_documents/Gender%20Questioning%20Children%20%20nonstatutory%20guidance.pdf

yes - though recently I had wondered if something had to be done or finalised before that could be finalised (I now can’t remember what that was. Possibly Esses’ and Bell’s case?)

the 2025 (statutory in sept 2026) RSE guidelines are supportive too though

There’s an important question that she hasn’t addressed: can children be compelled to use their teachers’ preferred pronouns?

"Should" is doing a lot of heavy lifting. She's trying to manage law suits plain and simple, as with her comments that employment facilities shouldn't have to stick to single sex.
She's fudging and side stepping the real issues in favour of minimising litigation.

Was about to write exactly the same thing. Quite.

I hate to do this, but may I bring up the obnoxious Enoch Burke in Ireland?

The origin of his and his family's incredible war on the justice system was his refusal to use a pupil's preferred pronouns. HIs suspension was caused by the way he reacted - it's a bit Bananarama, but he objected loudly and inappropriately in ways that were disruptive, and then he did his famous standing at the school gates every day even though there was a court order to stay away until his disciplinary process was completed.

There has been a stand-off between the Irish Council of Civil Liberties who published a guide, authored by trans activists groups like TENI Transgender Equality Network Ireland, which said that teachers must use preferred pronouns.

The Dept of Education quickly responded that there is no such obligation.

Trans allies came back with respect/bullying guidance in schools, so yes they must.
It has faded from the news since then.

It would be wonderful if our Minister for Education came out with a clear statement like BP's!

A solution would be to state that only adults can 'transition', that being transgender is an adult choice, children can be gender-confused but not trans, and therefore schools should continue to use the name and pronouns they have always used.
The UK draft guidance seems to do that.

Count your blessings, Terf Islanders...😟

She has a habit of stalling final guidance that she doesn’t want to have to deal with negative feedback on, doesn’t she?

Imagine if she said this in a public statement. It would very much crack discussion wide open.

Should is just a best practice suggestion. Must is the actual legal term. If a Statutory document suggests something ‘should’ be provided this can be determined by the organisation’s internal policy. If something is a ‘must’ then it determined by legal legislation and cannot be overturned by internal policy.

my hope that is someone in the Times repeats it.

iirc the gender questioning guidelines will be should and not must.

however, a school will have a very hard time explaining to parents and Ofsted why they’re not following a statutory should. Breaking a statutory must is breaking the law and leads to criminal charges.

Breaking statutory shoulds is potentially failing the safeguarding bit of the Ofsted inspection and a massive fucking headache for SLT.

Yes - you've got to have very good reasons / evidence not to follow guidance.

The gaslighting of mentally vulnerable children with queer theory / trans ideology by self invested adults is never going to stand up to challenge in a court of law.

My issue with the delay with all this is that children are still being harmed. The information floating around in the media isn’t reaching the children who most need it. Safeguarding shouldn’t have to rely on all this legal shit imo.

Please do not misunderstand me, my opinion is that it should state ‘must’. The reality already is that safeguarding is being broken. The Brighton School is demonstrating this very clearly evidencing. When I last worked in a secondary it amazed me that a female member of staff entering a girls changing room to speak with a female pupil was a safeguarding risk. Yet, having a male pupil identifying as a girl in the changing room is not. The comment went along the lines of, female members of staff can’t go in the girls changing rooms in case there is a trans pupil in the changing room.

I would personally agree. It is surprising how little in KCSiE is “must” and how much is should. However, the should is very much a statutory should. Must is within the context of, for example, if a teacher suspects a child has been subjected to fgm they must call the police or risk being prosecuted themselves for failing to prevent a crime.

the horrific irony of that within the context of irreversible damage to children’s bodies from adults leading them to believe in this ideology is absolutely not lost on me however.

There appears to be some movement of the guidelines. This from Sex Matters.

BREAKING: New draft statutory safeguarding guidance will include advice on children "questioning their gender" including in:

• toilets
• changing rooms & showers
• residential accommodation
• sports

Schools expected to stand against bullying, safeguard all children, involve parents in decision-making and take a cautious approach.

There is a bit more about a consultation so I’ll just link the tweet.

x.com/sexmattersorg/status/2021947842533720207?s=46&t=ZX_bLozRqm8etdGICMcAvA

Hmm that language is concerning

“It draws on the Cass Review of gender identity services for children and young people to set out the key principles which we expect schools and colleges to follow, including taking a strong stand against bullying, safeguarding all children, involving parents in decision-making and taking a cautious approach, particularly in relation to primary-aged children. The guidance is clear that supporting social transition should not include allowing children into facilities designated for the opposite sex.”

Schools expected to stand against bullying
That's a Trojan horse because not using a child's preferred pronouns is defined as 'bullying' by TRAs.

They responded to the Irish Dept of Education saying that there was no obligation on teachers to use preferred pronouns etc., by invoking respect/anti-bullying guidance.

We need a tight definition of 'bullying' which does not mean 'only doing what the child says they want done, regardless of context or consequences'

Gift token for the telegraph article on this.
I don't know how her statement is going to work with children being affirmed in class

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/916621cb54e684ed

Yes me either.

BBC have it near top of app

'Vast majority' of parents should be told if children question their gender, schools told https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2k809vnx0yo

The gov have been dragging their heels on this for months- Phillipson wants girls forced to lie that male adults are women because she is funded by the Unions who support it. There is a total lack of personal integrity at the heart of the Labour gov- abuse of girls is fine with them at all levels off society if more powerful men are happy, as far as I can see.

There is an ongoing issue with schools trying to bully and coerce girls, including victims of abuse by men (including by men who lie they are women), to lie males have the right to be be present when girls are undressed, and punishing girls who won't lie men and boys are female, whether male staff or pupils. Some schools have got policies stating girls who won't submit are bullies and will be punished accordingly.
www.transgendertrend.com/schools-trans-policies-children-of-trans-parents/

Children of Transitioners have raised this with government and organisations such as the Church of England, pointing out also children have the legal right to correctly sex their dads and other male abusers, that lying about this is a form of abuse, and that it is a form of grooming girls for sexual abuse when schools punish girls for stating the truth- that men/ boys are not women, not female, and should not be anywhere near undressed girls.