Identifying as a different gender

Parents chose the school because they wanted an all-girls environment for their daughter's education. If that girl decides to identify as a boy she would surely be asked to relocate to a co-educational school because the other pupils are no longer in an all-girl environment
I recollect there is a code of conduct which states that no member of staff should reprimand or criticise another member of staff in front of pupils; problems should be dealt with away from the classroom. It would seem that it is the Headmistress who has mishandled the situation.

Caleo

We don't have enough information. A teacher should address pupils without referring to their sex or their gender whether or not it's a one-sex school. The sex and the gender of learners is irrelevant to understanding Euclid, the Tang dynasty, or Wordsworth.

"Good morning students" "Good morning pupils" "Good morning children" "Good morning people" "Good morning friends" "Good morning you horrible lot" are sex and gender neutral.

The school is a single sex school, designated a "Girls' School". Why should sex and gender neutral terms of address be the norm? If the parents and pupils as a collective wanted sex ignored (not everyone subscribes to a gender identity) why choose a single sex school in the first place? Go to a co-ed, problem solved.

I agree eazybee. I'd be very disappointed with that Headmistress and question her suitability for the position if she cannot see the inappropriateness of her action.

We don't have enough information
We have the information that "Good afternoon girls" was not considered to be an appropriate form of address in an all-girls' school.
It is.

If a pupil self-identifies as a boy then they are in the wrong school and the parents should remove their child and send them to somewhere more appropriate.
It's not fair on the child, the staff or the other pupils.

Did the teacher know that not all identified as girls?

If she didn't, and just assumed - as well you might in an all girls school, then I think the Head was out of order.

This could have been handled much better,

Who'd be a teacher! Young people can be so difficult - when they are at that stage that they think the world revolves around them. I remember as a 13 / 14 year old, I really did think it-was-all-about-ME.

Get rid of teachers. Use AI lessons on big screens to deliver the curriculum.

Greta robots to replace teachers? It does seem a bit extreme. The teacher was guilty apparently of using the G word so wiping out the human seems a bit excessive. Probably the future is a mix of human and non human interactions?

It's ridiculous. I agree with those who say if a girl wants to identify as a boy she shouldn't be at an all girls school.

What if a child had started thinking about it a week ago and was in a state of confusion? Should they immediately tell their parents that they need to move to another school with boys in it?

Or should we expect an adult to be more aware of the effect their words could have on a teenager?

The world isn't as black and white as saying "she thinks she's a boy - why is she at an all girls school?"

volver3

What if a child had started thinking about it a week ago and was in a state of confusion? Should they immediately tell their parents that they need to move to another school with boys in it?

Or should we expect an adult to be more aware of the effect their words could have on a teenager?

The world isn't as black and white as saying "she thinks she's a boy - why is she at an all girls school?"

If a student had only recently started to question her identity then how would the teacher be expected to know - if it was information that hadn't been shared?

Perhaps the school should have mandated a policy for all teachers to refer to their pupils as "students". They could be greeted with "good morning, all" or - as someone else suggested - "good morning, you 'orrible lot".

I don't know the details, and am reluctant to believe tabloid interpretations of them but on the face of it, it does appear this could have been handled more sensitively. Especially if the teacher intended no malice. Obviously, her contract can't be renewed now because she's been named and shamed - maybe they've lost a good teacher - who knows?

As I say if pre puberty current NHS guidelines do not support social affirmation, education staff urgently need clarification on the impact the Cass report will have on them. Pretending this girl is a boy would not fit within the NHS guidelines.

I don't have any view or comment on the actual case of the teacher.

I do feel I needed to comment on the people who think everything has a black/white answer and that its obvious what should have happened.

If she really got sacked just for this she should sue the arse off them. I don’t believe it,though. There must be more to it.

She didn't get sacked.

See what I mean Dickens?

I believe there was a talk given in assembly by older girls about gender recognition, so perhaps this is where the younger first year girls got the idea from. It was only one girl who decided she wished to be recognised as a boy. Maybe it’s genuine or maybe just trouble making. It’s now proposed that parents should be told if their child identifies other than their birth sex as well as it being ok to call girls just that in an all girls school. That makes sense. Nowhere, however, have I read anything about parent’s views.

Teachers on one year contracts are not guaranteed renewal. That’s why they are on one year contract.

Two points. One is that I think that referring to schoolchildren as 'students' is unhelpful. Students are, or always were, in post-compulsory education, so mostly over 18 with college students post 16. Calling children 'students' makes them sound older than they are, and it's easier to forget that they are children. I don't know why or when the trend started, but it seems to go along with the 'graduation' ceremonies for nursery children.

This girl was eleven. A child, not an undergraduate. In what other circumstances would anyone allow 11 year olds to dictate to a teacher like this? Or to make decisions about something as fundamental as her sex, and compel adults in loco parentis to go along with the fantasy?

My second point is regarding the semantics about whether she was sacked or 'just' didn't get her contract renewed. Obviously we don't know the details, but in education it is quite common for people to be on renewable contracts for years, not as an extended probation period, or because they are 'supply' teachers, but for budgetary reasons. These people are vulnerable and their terms and conditions are fragile. The casualisation of teaching and lecturing staff is one of the reasons for industrial action by UCU (the University and College Union) and should not be brushed aside as 'oh, it's not the same as being sacked'. Technically and legally, no, it's not. But when it comes to paying the mortgage, keeping your kids in local schools, working near your partner and putting down roots in an area it is absolutely the same thing. It's one thing if this was a supply teacher who knew she was employed until someone came back from maternity leave or similar, but stating as fact that this was just a case of a non-renewed contract is jumping to conclusions every bit as much as stating that she was sacked.

but stating as fact that this was just a case of a non-renewed contract is jumping to conclusions every bit as much as stating that she was sacked.

No its not. If you can't see the difference then it makes the rest of your long post a bit suspect too.

But it is a fact that it was a non-renewed contract. It is the reasons for that which we do not know and can only guess at.

Rosie, sex and gender neutral terms of address should be the norm in schools because it matters not at all what sex or gender a pupil is when their parents require their child to learn their multiplication tables, or how to select serious literature.

In the olden days there were schools called 'finishing schools' that a rich parent sent a daughter to to teach her twee femininity so she could make a 'good' marriage.

There are faith schools today that attempt to segregate the sexes , and this is for the purposes of the religion not for the purpose of wisdom and knowledge.

Doodledog wrote:

"This girl was eleven. A child, not an undergraduate. In what other circumstances would anyone allow 11 year olds to dictate to a teacher like this? Or to make decisions about something as fundamental as her sex, and compel adults in loco parentis to go along with the fantasy?"

Child centredness in education wanes and waxes with the prevalent culture. Child centeredness was especially popular during the sixties and seventies.

I myself like a child to be steered, gently, in the direction that will most empower him and keep him safe. I tend to be liberal as to a child's"fantasies" and I would countenance those fantasies that did no harm, and try to help the child to utilise his fantasies.

To utilise a fantasy of gender change I'd point out that he has the right to call himself whatever he decides but that this is a snobbish world and sometimes it's better to be conventional for instance when seeking paid work.

Caleo yes gender doesn’t matter when it is a matter of teaching multiplication tables but I like my twee femininity although not finished off. I like wearing a skirt etc and I don’t won’t to be neutralised. Bit unsure about the good marriage but ….

Want not won’t

Ronib, twee femininity will not keep you safe when you are old and drab. Much better to have a profession or a trade.

Caleo I am old. I am not drab. What a strange comment. Some days I glow…. I did have a career etc and now my greatest joy are my grandchildren. That’s probably why twee femininity pays the greatest dividends in life.

Caleo at schools currently girls initiatives with regard to Stem for example are commonly discussed, now you can argue that that shouldnt be the case but its certainly not the practice that teachers dont refer to sex in a range of circumstances.
I am afraid that the latest advice would be that supporting the fantasy (not my words) that boys can become girls etc is not something that can be described as doing no harm.