Schools need to work with parents, not push them out of the picture

This is very personal for me. My 14 year old daughter (likely ASD, complex mental health history) told her Year Head that she wanted to transition to a boy. The Year Head embraces this with enthusiasm and formally transitioned her across the school behind our backs. When we found out and told him we wanted to do watchful waiting (non affirmative, giving her a neutral space to grow and develop) he told us we had no say as parents. I had no idea affirmation was pushed by lobby groups to school as the only acceptable approach.

It’s a highly complex, sensitive issue and schools need to work with parents, not push them out of the picture.

I have written to multiple MPs and MSPs as well as the Children’s Commissioner Scotland. I am active on social media and in a parent support group pushing for evidence based medicine around gender dysphoria in children and adolescents. I have attended and spoken from the floor at various meetings – e.g. seminar at the Scottish Parliament on GD in children/adolescents.

I do the vast majority anonymously to protect my daughter’s privacy. I get backlash on social media- just the usual calling me an abusive parent (and one told me my experience was “not worthy of respect in a democratic society” – wonder where they got that from Maya, eh?). IRL has been fine as have only told a small supportive group of friends. School has been a battle with some teachers supportive, others not.

Betty