
The clash between rights groups over gender ideology has spilled over the Tasmanian school system, after an activist sent letters to school principals all over the state warning that “ideology driven programs” potentially place kids at harm.
Former Hobart alderman and current member of Safeguarding Children in Australian Schools group, Jeff Briscoe, posted letters and copies of a UK report about dealing with the needs of children with gender dysphoria to hundreds of Tassie schools, requesting that they made “well-informed, science-based decisions.
But soon afterwards, Department of Education. Children and Young People representative Allan De Weys, contacted the schools and requested that they ignore Mr Briscoe’s letter.
“Material has been sent to schools from Jeff Briscoe under the name “Safeguarding Children in Schools Australia” wrote Mr De Weys, who is senior communications and engagement consultant with the department.
“This material, which originates from a UK based organisation, is not endorsed by the department … [and] should not be consider a resource that you or your safeguarding lead should use to guide work in this area”, he wrote.
“Please ensure your staff, including administration staff, are aware of this matter”.
Mr Briscoe. who now works as a teacher at Guilford Young College in Hobart, said the department’s reaction was “disappointing” and an attempt at censorship.
“This is a very disappointing response to a sound report that’s responding to a global issue of critical importance” he said.
“An open mind to different perspectives is esential to the saguarding of our children”.
He said he sent the UK report, Asleep at the Wheel – An Examination of Gender and Safeguarding in Schools, to public schools across Tasmania following “growing concerns” about the teaching, management and prevalence of gender ideology.
The report which was published earlier this year by UK think tank Policy Exchange, examines sex and gender policies in UK schools and claims that the adoption of “contested beliefs” around gender risked “jeopardising child wellbeing and safety”
“By uncritically accepting contested beliefs on gender identity as well as adopting affirmative practice, which involves affirming a child’s believe that they are the opposite gender to their sex, schools are failing to consider their safeguarding duties”, read the report, which was authored by British academic Lottie Moore.
Lynn Jarvis, a spokesperson for Tasmanian sex and gender support and education services, Working it Out, said the report challenged the rights of transgender people to self-identify.
“Their overarching claim is that supporting and affirming young trans and gender students means schools are failing to safeguard students wellbeing” he said.
“Nothing could be further from the truth”.
“It is not best practice as Mr Briscoe claims, nor is it inclusive of the wide evidence base supporting practice in this field.
“The evidence … clearly shows that young people who feel accepted, included and supported for who they are experience much better health, wellbeing and educational outcomes compared to those students who are forced to hide and who routinely experience stigma, discrimination, exclusion and abuse.
“I am confident that principals, school staff and carers can reflect on the young people in their midst, and what is best for them, to provide a safe and nurturing environment.
“In doing so they will reject the voice of people like Jeff Briscoe”.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education, Children and Young People said its Office of Safeguarding Children and Young People was established to drive long term cultural change to ensure the department was an “exemplary” child-safe organisation.
“Safeguarding officers do not provide medical advice or intervention to children or young people experiencing gender dysphoria, nor do any other staff at government schools” the spokesperson said.
Source: The Examiner