Parents’ fury at church bosses for failing to intervene over CofE primary schools teaching children that they can be ‘pangender’ or ‘cisgender’
- Parents complained to a Church of England school after seeing lesson plans
- The CofE’s education chief is now being accused of now stepping in to intervene
Furious parents have accused the Church of England of ‘passing the buck’ and failing to intervene over primary schools teaching children they can be ‘pangender’.
The Rev Canon Nigel Genders, the CoE’s chief education officer, has been slammed for not stepping in after being warned that pupils as young as seven were being taught controversial theories on gender identity beliefs at a CofE primary school.
Youngsters at Swanton Morley VC Primary School in Dereham, Norfolk, are being taught about being ‘born with a vagina’ but ‘feeling like a boy’, a parent claimed, with children being told they can be ‘pangender’ or ‘cisgender’.
Educator Solutions, a trading arm of Norfolk County Council, was behind the production of the relationships, sex and health education (RHSE) materials used by the school. Rev Genders said it was the school’s ‘responsibility’ to determine which resources are used to deliver RSHE lessons.
But Rev Genders has been accused of ‘passing the buck of responsibility entirely to the head teachers’. ‘Mr Genders does not seem willing to act now to prevent primary children under his watch in CofE schools being subject to the beginnings of ideological indoctrination, and explicit sexualising content,’ one outraged parent told the Telegraph.
Rev Canon Nigel Genders, the CoE’s chief education officer, has been slammed for not stepping in after being warned that children as young as seven were being taught controversial theories on gender identity beliefs at a CofE primary school
The accusations comes amid a growing row over how schools are teaching children about trans issues, with the Government’s own guidance on the topic having been delayed.
Responding to the concerns, Rev Genders said schools should ‘consult’ with parents and have ‘due regard to any advice from the Diocesan Board of Education’.
READ MORE: Parents’ fury as they claim children as young as seven are being told they can be ‘pangender’ by teachers – while NHS patient form emerges listing 18 genders including ‘two-spirit’
‘Given that schools are seeking to do the very best for children as they grow in maturity, and mindful of the high profile focus on this area in the media and elsewhere, it will be very helpful to have new guidance from the Government on how these contested issues are handled within educational settings. We expect this guidance very soon,’ Rev Genders said, in correspondence seen by the Telegraph.
One furious parent with two children at Swanton Morley school previously said the material was taught without any consultation with families.
She claimed it was ‘age inappropriate, partisan, unscientific and dangerous’, adding: ‘I love my children, and I will not allow them to be exposed to radical ideologies at an inappropriate age and in an imbalanced way.
‘Telling seven-year-old girls they can be born like a girl, but feel like a boy inside, and that there are more than two genders is simply wrong.
‘These aspects of the teaching materials are based on highly contentious and contested views that put great emphasis on emotion and belief rather than biological reality.’
It comes in the wake of the Government launching a review of sex education in schools after evidence was found of age inapropriate content being taught.
Responding to the initial concerns, raised in May, a Norfolk County Council spokesperson said: ‘Primary schools are enabled and encouraged to cover LGBT content within RHSE lessons if they consider it age appropriate to do so.
‘What is taught, and how, is ultimately a decision for the school, which has the responsibility of developing a policy and curriculum in consultation with parents, which is compliant with statutory guidance and the Equality Act 2010.
Pupils at Swanton Morley VC Primary School (pictured) in Dereham, Norfolk, are being taught about being ‘pangender’
‘We trust and support head teachers to make decisions that are in the best interests of their pupils.’
Rev Genders insisted there would be a ‘thorough review’ into RSHE materials as part of the forthcoming Department for Education review.
But he added the ‘length of time’ taking the Government to produce the guidance proved how ‘complex the issues are’ in relation to the law.
‘If Government is finding this difficult, it is understandable that schools need really clear guidance so that they can ensure children are treated with the dignity they deserve without themselves being caught up in legal battles,’ he added in a statement to the Telegraph.
The controversy in primary schools come as hospital chiefs came under fire for listing 18 gender options on a patient form including ‘two-spirit’ and ‘agender’.
The Sun reports that the survey was given to a woman in her 70s at Darlington Memorial Hospital in County Durham.
She said: ‘I’ve no idea what some of these are — I need to learn.
‘It seems like a box-filling exercise, probably from some administrator who should focus on getting waiting lists down.’
The form listed male and female choices as well as 16 others including passing, two-spirit, third gender, agender, bigender, cisgender, gender expression, gender fluid, gender queer and gender variant.
An insider told the publication that it’s a method to offer ‘respect and humility’ to patients.
The NHS has been actively trying to gather information on how patients identify to benefit future healthcare.
Source: Read Full Article
