Ireland’s national state curriculum body has urged teachers to introduce themselves to students using their gender pronouns in an effort to make classrooms more “inclusive.”
The advice comes from a document published by the National Council For Curriculum And Assessment (NCCA), which is overseen by the Department of Education.
In a guide document entitled “What makes an inclusive SPHE/RSE classroom?”, teachers are urged to announce their gender pronouns to the class when they first meet.
“When you greet your students for the first time, announce your name and pronouns (e.g. “My name is Ms Murphy and my pronouns are ‘she/her’),” the document reads.
“This signals that you are cognisant and respectful of the fact that not everyone will use the pronouns that people expect or the name and pronouns that are on official records.”
The guide further recommends that teachers don’t use gendered phrases like “Mums and Dads,” or “Boys and Girls,” but instead seek to “use inclusive, affirming and gender-neutral language.”
“Avoid unnecessary grouping students on the grounds of gender,” the document says, adding that such grouping can “silence and exclude” students who “identify as transgender, non-binary or intersex.”
“For example,” it says, “you could replace “boys and girls” or “lad and ladies” with phrases like “everyone” or “folks” and you can use “parents and carers” instead of “Mums and Dads”.”
The NCCA has come under fire for promoting the teaching of gender ideology in the past, encouraging teachers to study “crossdressing” for “erotic enjoyment,” “drag,” “gender queer” and “gender-fluid” identities as part of an “SPHE and RSE toolkit” for primary schools.
Irish teachers have been encouraged to learn about “crossdressing” for “erotic enjoyment,” as well as “drag,” and “gender-fluid” identities by the Department of Education when preparing RSE & SPHE lessons for primary students.#gripthttps://t.co/b93l3tPd2U
— gript (@griptmedia) July 6, 2022
Last month the group made headlines for putting forward a new draft SPHE curriculum with a range of controversial recommendations, including around white privilege, male privilege, and gender ideology.
The new draft SPHE curriculum urges children to recognise their “privileged status” as a “white, male or Irish person,” & tells them to seek positive portrayals of “LGBTQI+” gender identities in media. @Ben_Scallan reports:#gripthttps://t.co/zICxfS2UjR
— gript (@griptmedia) July 12, 2023
Gript previously questioned Education Minister Norma Foley about gender ideology in schools, in a video which can be viewed below.
"Encouraging young boys to wear lipstick and girls' clothes": Education Minister Norma Foley questioned on the radical materials recommended for Irish schools, which promote cross-dressing & gender ideology to primary school students.#gript pic.twitter.com/9n9LgczNLL
— gript (@griptmedia) February 22, 2023
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