Parents ‘baffled’ after school asks students to choose from dozens of pronouns: ‘Very confused and upset’
Fox News
Parents looking to apply for their children to attend a school in England must fill out an admission form that includes 42 different gender pronouns, according to a report.
“When you see something like this, it just makes you not want to take them seriously as an education establishment,” one parent told The Sun, adding that “children don’t just need this kind of thing.”
“I spoke to other parents whose children are supposed to be starting at New Mills later this year, and they were equally as baffled by it,” the parent said. “It left my son very confused and upset.”
Leadership at the New Mills School, in Derbyshire, said the form was standard and in use by “thousands of schools.” The form includes the terms zie, zim, zir, zis and zieself, as well as ve, ver, vis, vers and verself, among others.
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“They are at such a tender age, and you want them to be children as long as possible,” the parent said.
New Mills School previously made headlines over its “Drag ‘n’ Rainbows” non-uniform day, which drew so much controversy the school canceled it.
Gender identity has increasingly taken focus in education discussions in Britain. The Scottish government in August 2021 released a guidance outline for supporting transgender pupils in schools, arguing that it ensures “every child and young person is happy, safe, respected and included in their learning environment.”
“The health and well–being of every child and young person must be at the heart of our decision-making,” Shirley-Anne Somerville, Scottish cabinet secretary for education and skills, wrote.
“I am confident that this guidance, combined with our forthcoming work on gender equality, will help schools deliver a learning environment where privacy, safety, dignity and respect is afforded to every pupil so they can each achieve their full potential,” she added.
Suella Braverman, the British home secretary, made a speech last year to the think tank Policy Exchange while serving as the government’s attorney general, during which she said schools had no legal obligation to comply with the gender preference of their pupils and could refuse to allow transgender children to wear the uniform or use the toilet of their stated gender.
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A principal at a secondary school in Essex told The Guardian he didn’t understand why politicians felt the need to weigh in “on my school toilets… on our uniform policy” when there were other issues he felt needed more immediate attention.
“Sort out the rocketing electricity bills and the cost of living,” Vic Goddard, principal of Passmores Academy, a secondary school, said. “Don’t get involved in small decisions you don’t add value to.”