April 2023
Resist Gender Education's newsletter
A gender fluid person on every school board?
By chance, an eagle-eyed supporter noticed an unsettling change deep inside an otherwise unremarkable administrative Bill, the Education and Training Amendment Bill, which is currently open for submissions. In Clause 38, the Bill proposes to amend Schedule 23 of the Act to make changes to the school board election and co-option process to “support increased participation”.
The changes proposed would alter the wording of Schedule 23 1a (ii) from:
it is desirable, as far as is reasonably practicable,—
(a) that every board should reflect—
(ii) the fact that approximately half the population of New Zealand is male and half female;
To this new wording:
it is desirable, as far as is reasonably practicable,—
(a) that every board should reflect—
(ii) the genders, sexualities, and sexes of the student body of the school and within the community served by the school; and
(iia) the diversity of disabled students at the school and the school’s disability community.
The Bill was introduced to Parliament on 23 March 2023 and submissions are open for 5 weeks only, until 1 May. The changes have not been signalled to the public and most school Boards of Trustees will also be unaware of the proposals as the submission period is over the Term 1 school holidays, when they do not meet.
We encourage readers to make a submission here before 1 May.
Some of the questions that could be raised in a submission are:
Why is gender and sexuality singled out as needing specific representation on school Boards as opposed to other groups such as single parents or beneficiaries?
How does the Bill define “gender, sexualities and sexes”? Without a definition, how will schools know they are complying with the Schedule? (Note that the MOE in its RSE Guidelines states that there are three sexes – male, female, and intersex. The latter is an extremely rare medical condition affecting 0.018% of the population, not a third sex.)
How would a school, especially a primary school, determine the sexualities of its students?
Typical school boards have ten or fewer members, both elected and co-opted. Even one transgender or non-binary person being co-opted to the board would therefore constitute an over-representation of that population in a typical school community and would create the potential for real or perceived undue influence.
How will Boards of Trustees be shielded from rainbow groups lobbying for their chosen members to be co-opted to a Board?
How much PRIDE do our kids need?
Pride Week for NZ schools is June 12-16 this year, coinciding with the international Pride Month.
There are no less than seven opportunities each year for NZ children to be exposed to gender ideology at school. As well as the international Pride Month in June, we also have NZ Pride Month in February, Transgender Visibility Day on March 31, International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia on May 17, Celebrate Bisexuality on September 23, National Coming Out Day on October 11, and Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20. Some regions also have their own Pride weeks, such as Nelson Pride Week in April.
Pride now signifies much more than acceptance of same-sex relationships. Gender theory - the idea that it is ‘authentic’, easy, and joyful to identify as the opposite sex or no sex at all - is firmly embedded in nearly all Pride events. Schools with activist teachers may use any of these days to promote gender beliefs as facts. Even five-year-olds can be exposed to the ideas, with activities such as colouring in rainbow flags or having picture books read to them that say chilldren can choose their sex (because adults can make a mistake!)
In recent years, on the Friday of Pride Week, some schools encouraged students to take part in a Day of Silence, where they wore gags to “call attention to the silencing effect of homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying, name-calling and harassment in schools.” This is an ‘in-group/out-group’ display that could well contribute to an increase, rather than decrease, in bullying.
Be prepared for Pride Week by finding out in advance what activities your children will be given. As in previous years, InsideOut will be providing schools with worksheets, lesson plans, and activity ideas, so keep an eye on their website. Be prepared to withdraw your children from any lessons or activities of concern to you.
News items recently added to our website:
The British Medical Journal has published a balanced investigation into the care of young people with gender dysphoria that reached the conclusion: “If we have the best interests of young people at heart, then surely our duty is to offer evidence informed care? And, if the evidence base is weak, we must provide the necessary support to young people as well as prioritising research to answer questions on issues that are causing a great deal of distress, much of which is amplified by social media. Taking this route is essential: an evidence void not only exposes people to overtreatment but can also be used to deny people the care that they seek, such as through the draconian laws now being introduced in some US states. A better appreciation of the evidence, as well as the limits of medicine, is also the basis of a more constructive dialogue.”
What America has got wrong about gender medicine. This article in the Economist calls transgender medicine a “tragedy of good intentions” and argues that “Too many doctors have suspended their professional judgement.”
If you would like to be sent 50 of our “Sex cannot change” cards, please deposit $10 for postage into the RGE account: ASB 12-3158-0186494-00 with your name in the reference field. Then email info@resistgendereducation.nz giving your name and address.
The cards can be handed out at the school gate, in parents’ groups, left in letterboxes, cafes, and libraries etc, or posted to your local MP.