'Teacher forced to defend holding trans awareness day'

[Questions11]

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/03/17/teacher-forced-to-defend-holding-trans-awareness-day/

'Emma Maltby, who runs St Mary the Virgin Primary School, wanted to explore issues around gender with the children and allow them to develop an understanding of what it means to be transgender. However, a number of parents complained about the workshop and some have even withdrawn their kids from the school.'

Is this a new trend in schools?

[Trinity]

“As part of the national curriculum, we spend time talking to the children about British values of tolerance, respect and celebrating differences,” she said.

I understand we should have tolerance and respect for differences. But why should we celebrate differences? Celebrating differences seems to me unnecessary and it is in some sense contrary to having tolerance and respect.

[Trinity]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riddle_scale

''The scale is frequently divided into two parts, the 'homophobic levels of attitude' (first four terms) and the 'positive levels of attitude' (last four terms).[5]''

So unless we 'celebrate' homosexuality we are homophobic bigots.

[Questions11]

Yes - I believe this was established before on discussions at RF.  Certainly seems that way in general culture in the UK.

[Trinity]

I don't even know what it means to celebrate homosexuality. Am I supposed to dress a certain way from now on or..?

[Questions11]

Trin:
In all seriousness I think it means you have to acknowledge publically that being LGBTQA+ is positive, and indeed more interesting and worthy of celebration than being straight, and refrain from any action or expression that might denigrate sexual preferences and predispositions.

Wonderer:
Blame pink news then, I just took it form their headline. Or do you mean I missed the word 'holding' out - that was just an accident.  Corrected now.

[Questions11]

Some more info here:
http://www.eastgrinsteadcourier.co.uk/Primary-school-pupils-withdrawn-school-parents/story-28932517-detail/story.html

'To teach about the subject the school uses a toolkit written in conjunction with Brighton based Allsorts Youth Protect which is designed to "empower lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans young people to take a lead in raising awareness and challenge prejudice and discrimination".'

the teaching materials are by these guys:
http://www.allsortsyouth.org.uk/groups/trans-kids-trans-gender-questioning-children/

http://www.allsortsyouth.org.uk/resources/toolkits/
A number of the practices the toolkit encourages schools to adopt are quite interesting.

[Trinity]

I consider that an attack on freedom of expression and conscience. That would mean for example that stand-up comedians would have to refrain from sex jokes lest they be homophobic bigots.

[Aaron Massey]

I understand we should have tolerance and respect for differences. But why should we celebrate differences? Celebrating differences seems to me unnecessary and it is in some sense contrary to having tolerance and respect.

What if the word was changed to Transgender inclusivism day?  would that make it more palatable?

[Trinity]

I question the whole notion of schools teaching children what to celebrate and what not to celebrate.

You can change the label from 'celebration' to 'inclusivism', but if the underlying principle remains the same, then my objection remains. Schools should remain out of business of celebration. Or if schools want to be in business of celebration, then parents should have the right to choose whether they want their children to celebrate X, Y or Z.