What Questions Should a School be Asking about Mermaids Training for Teachers?

Sep 9, 2019 by Jill

from Transgender Trend:

The contributor of these notes is a language teacher and department chair in a secondary school. She has over 20 years of teaching experience in both the UK and international school systems. We are indebted to her for sharing her notes with us and allowing us to publish her thoughtful and sensible guide to the questions schools should be asking about ‘gender identity’ training from external organisations

Discussing “Gender Identity” in Schools: Ensuring that Staff and Students Receive Appropriate Information in Discussions Surrounding Gender.

This post is based on notes I made and used in a meeting where I expressed my concerns about Mermaids content being used to inform policy, practice or ideology in the school where I work.

Staff were due to receive some feedback from two members of staff who had attended “gender diversity” training. I asked where the training came from and discovered that it had been delivered by a Mermaids trainer. In the current climate, many teachers may feel afraid to challenge the ideas of lobby groups like Mermaids, but I have worked at my current school for many years and although I was very nervous I felt it unlikely that I would be forced out of my position. I had also decided that I would fight against any attempt to dismiss me on the basis of my views about sex and gender. I therefore voiced my doubts about Mermaids content and subsequently was asked to come to a meeting with two members of the Leadership Team, and the two members of staff who had attended the workshop and had been asked to feedback about it at a planned whole-staff meeting.

Following this meeting, the member of the Leadership Team involved decided that the Mermaids content would not be presented to the staff at my school, and that we would look into the matter further before deciding on content. I am sharing these notes in case you would like to have this conversation in your school in a way that is respectful and informed, and presents views other than the ones espoused by Mermaids.

Read here