Thread by @SafeSchools_UK

Thread
1) Following a parent webinar last night of Oxfordshire schools in association with @OfficialFFLAG we need a whole thread to detail this #SafeguardingFail. Not once during the hour long webinar was #safeguarding mentioned.

2) Instead we were treated to incorrect & alarming suicide/self-harm statistics - no wonder parents are terrified of getting this wrong. There were recommendations for Mermaids, Gendered Intelligence, The Proud Trust & Intercom Trust. All organisations which raise red flags.

3) Teachers from within the partnership did share "difficult" questions but the answers were concerning. Should lesbians be allowed to exclude trans girls from their dating pool on account of them being male? "Oh, that is a difficult question to answer". It really shouldn't be.

4) Should schools override parents' wishes if they don't want their child to change their pronouns? Well it appears that @OfficialFFLAG think they should. A parent cited a 25 year old English teacher from a school in Bristol saying that they had overridden parents' wishes.

5) They cited "concerns that the child was not being supported at home". The young teacher (who is in a relationship with a trans ‘woman’) has the backing of school management. Teachers on the call agreed & cited Gillick. Just where is the safeguarding here? Non existent clearly.

6) The teachers went one step further & implied it was better to override parents' wishes than to have to deal with "something catastrophic". By which we understood this to mean self harm or even suicide. It absolutely beggars belief it was teachers saying this to parents.

7) The parent speaker from @OfficialFFLAG went on to give her opinion that children have the PC of Gender Reassignment which means they have the right to change pronouns. She did say she wasn't a lawyer & @SuellaBraverman disagreed with her. Yet another #SafeguardingFail.

8) The panel said they were relieved they weren't asked about which facilities trans-identified children should be using in schools. Yes, thank goodness nobody had to actually answer a direct question on safeguarding & the law. We will be sending the partnership our resources.

9) The webinar ended with sage advice about letting your child explore who they are without judgment". This was baffling after an entire webinar encouraging parents to affirm their children as the opposite sex contrary to early findings from @thecassreview. #SafeguardingFail END