Teachers will have to make clear that gender ideology is a “contested belief” rather than fact if they bring it up in lessons, Gillian Keegan will say later this week.
As reported by the Telegraph, the Education Secretary is set to issue guidance on Thursday following criticism that some pupils were being taught that there were 72 genders.
Schools will not be told to hold lessons on gender ideology, which states that people can be born the wrong sex and that they can change their identity to the opposite sex or other categories such as non-binary. But if they do hold lessons on the issue, they must make it clear that it is a contested belief.
In other words, they must say that the “gender-critical” belief that there are just two biological sexes is also valid.
The report continues:
The guidance – which will be out for consultation – will also order schools to show parents all classroom material to ensure they are comfortable with what is being taught.
Rishi Sunak ordered the review into relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) lessons last year in response to claims that content was age-inappropriate, extreme and sexualising.
There were claims that children were being taught about oral sex and how to choke their partners safely.
Miriam Cates, a Tory MP, told the Sun: “For too long activist groups have been pushing a politically motivated agenda on children under the cover of RSHE.
“The Cass Review shows how dangerous it is to let ideology overtake facts. We need compulsory guidance to restore common sense and the rights of parents to know what their children are being taught.”
Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at women’s rights charity Sex Matters, said: “Commentary suggests that this guidance will require schools to stop presenting gender ideology as fact and to stop hiding PSHE [personal, social, health and economic education] lessons from parents. If true, these are both excellent developments.
“What Sex Matters wants to see is that schools are told in no uncertain terms to stop giving any credence to evidence-free claims that everyone has a gender identity, or that sex is a spectrum or can be changed.
“These claims are not just nonsense, they are regressive and sexist. They mislead and endanger children, and are a big reason why gender distress has become much more common in recent years.”
Worth reading in full.
