School to refer to students as purple penguins

[dragon]

Ok now this is getting a little bit silly

A Nebraska school district has instructed its teachers to stop referring to students by “gendered expressions” such as “boys and girls,” and use “gender inclusive” ones such as “purple penguins” instead.

“Don’t use phrases such as ‘boys and girls,’ ‘you guys,’ ‘ladies and gentlemen,’ and similarly gendered expressions to get kids’ attention,” instructs a training document given to middle-school teachers at the Lincoln Public Schools.

“Create classroom names and then ask all of the ‘purple penguins’ to meet on the rug,” it advises.
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The document also warns against asking students to “line up as boys or girls,” and suggests asking them to line up by whether they prefer “skateboards or bikes/milk or juice/dogs or cats/summer or winter/talking or listening.”

“Always ask yourself . . . ‘Will this configuration create a gendered space?’” the document says.

The instructions were part of a list called “12 steps on the way to gender inclusiveness” developed by Gender Spectrum, an organization that “provides education, training and support to help create a gender sensitive and inclusive environment for children of all ages.”

Other items on the list include asking all students about their preferred pronouns and decorating the classroom with “all genders welcome” door hangers.

If teachers still find it “necessary” to mention that genders exist at all, the document states, they must list them as “boy, girl, both or neither.”

Furthermore, it instructs teachers to interfere and interrupt if they ever hear a student talking about gender in terms of “boys and girls” so the student can learn that this is wrong.

“Point out and inquire when you hear others referencing gender in a binary manner,” it states. “Ask things like . . . ‘What makes you say that? I think of it a little differently.’ Provide counter-narratives that challenge students to think more expansively about their notions of gender.”

The teachers were also given a handout created by the Center for Gender Sanity, which explains to them that “Gender identity . . . can’t be observed or measured, only reported by the individual,” and an infographic called “The Genderbred Person,” which was produced by www.ItsPronouncedMetroSexual.com.

Despite controversy, Lincoln Superintendent Steve Joel has declared that he is “happy” and “pleased” with the training documents.

“We don’t get involved with politics,” he told KLIN Radio’s Drive Time Lincoln radio show.

“We don’t get involved with gender preferences. We’re educating all kids . . . and we can’t be judgmental,” he said.

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[dragon]

shit wrong forum can a mod please move

[Spekio]

Can we get a second source? This seems like satire.

Still, you would do a disservice to children by trying to blind them to superficial differences between people instead of acknowledging said differences and teaching respect and tolerance.

[dragon]

more sources

In the race to become the most politically correct bastion of liberal education in the U.S., Nebraska’s Lincoln Public School district seems to be making a push for the lead. Instead of referring to the young students in the school system as boys and girls, educators are being forced to use nonsensical terms to avoid offending any kids confused about their gender
Read more at http://www.westernjournalism.com/gender ... bt2tvqu.99

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Nebraska Watchdog has uncovered training documents given to middle school teachers in Lincoln, Neb., telling them not to use “gendered expressions” and to call out “binary models of gender” when they see them.

“Avoid asking kids to line up as boys or girls or separating them by gender,” begins a document called “12 easy steps on the way to gender inclusiveness.”

“Instead, use things like ‘odd and even birth date,’ or ‘Which would you choose: skateboards or bikes/milk or juice/dogs or cats/summer or winter/talking or listening.’ … Always ask yourself, ’Will this configuration create a gendered space?’”

“Don’t use phrases such as ‘boys & girls,’ ‘you guys,’ ‘ladies and gentlemen,’ and similarly gendered expressions to get kids’ attention,” it continues. “Provide an opportunity for every student to identify a preferred name or pronoun. … When you find it necessary to reference gender, say ‘Boy, girl, both or neither.’ When asked why, use this as a teachable moment. Emphasize to students that your classroom recognizes and celebrates the gender diversity of all students.”

Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Steve Joel defended the materials last week, and told local radio host Kevin Thomas that “our position, ours is inclusiveness. … We know that there’s a correlation between bullying and gender, as well as sexual preference, and so you know, as a school district, we’re just trying to provide information for our folks to understand that a little bit better, and I think that’s what they’ve done, and I think they’re doing a great job with it.”

“Be intolerant of openly hostile attitudes or references towards others EVERY TIME you hear or observe them, but also use these as teachable moments,” the training sheet advises. “Take the opportunity to push the individual on their statements about gender. Being punitive may stop the behavior, at least in your presence. Being instructive may stop it entirely.”

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[Borgholio]

Boys and girls are different. How fucking stupid do you have to be to try and teach otherwise?

[Spekio]

Also, is it just me or "Purple Penguin" is really fucking creepy?

[salm]

Doesn´t seem creepy to me. Just stupid.

[Eternal_Freedom]

AH, more absurdity from public education.

Also, I'm not even a teacher and I already hate the term "teachable moment."

[madd0ct0r]

ahhh. simplify, exaggerate and then repeat on an internet forum. I'm not commenting until the actual guidance is available instead of contextless cherry picked quotes.

[Thanas]

Moved.

[Simon_Jester]

Also, is it just me or "Purple Penguin" is really fucking creepy?

If the school mascot is a penguin or something, not so much.

My school mascot is an animal, and all our sports teams are named for that animal, and sometimes the term is used as a kenning for "students at this school."

AH, more absurdity from public education.

Also, I'm not even a teacher and I already hate the term "teachable moment."

The biggest problem with teachable moments is that they're not learnable moments for the crazy bozo loonies in the room who need the lesson...

[Spekio]

If the school mascot is a penguin or something, not so much.

My school mascot is an animal, and all our sports teams are named for that animal, and sometimes the term is used as a kenning for "students at this school."

I had not considered that.

So, being an educator in the U.S., do you think there's truth to this?

[Simon_Jester]

Uh, truth to what?

How should I know if there's a school where purple is the school color and "penguins" are the school mascot?

[Spekio]

To this district alleged plans, I mean.

[Simon_Jester]

No way to know. It seems unlikely for Nebraska, given the province's tendencies. It would represent an unusual thing, my GUESS is that it's probably the result of a particular set of lobbying/special interest organizations descending upon the district. Then they'd either threaten to sue the district blind if they don't do XYZ, or offer them grant money if they do do XYZ.

The Gates Foundation and so on do this sort of thing all the time, just not with gender identity issues.

[Sidewinder]

I remember reading about Swedish schools doing this shit (see the New York Times). When seeking links to articles affirming what I read, I came across a description of gender-neutral changing rooms at a high school.

Students' union member Camille Trombetti says the changing room is not only "for transsexual" students but any student who wants privacy when changing for school activities.

I must emphasize that this is at a high school, meaning most students are not yet physically mature, and thus, below the legal age of consent. How and why would a 16-year-old kid get a sex-change operation? Shouldn't this kid wait until he or she is at least 18?

Can no one see the problem in pushing "political correctness" too far? All those hormonal adolescents undressing in a confined space? What about sex education? How do you teach that, if you don't even let the children know the differences between the genders?

[Zixinus]

I find the OP so ridiculous that I am wondering whether this is a piece of news made to troll.

A question for actual transgenders or so: is it really a desire for you (rational or gut-feeling) people to abolish the idea of gender as a whole?

Because that seems like a bit of a silly goal. Biological gender is not a fixed binary thing, but the two ends are quite definable and real. Wouldn't it make more sense for schools to push the idea that falling somewhere in-between happen and are just not a big deal?

[HMS Sophia]

I must emphasize that this is at a high school, meaning most students are not yet physically mature, and thus, below the legal age of consent. How and why would a 16-year-old kid get a sex-change operation? Shouldn't this kid wait until he or she is at least 18?

I'm... avoiding the rest of this thread carefully, but this...
There is a significant difference between transitioning and receiving GRS/SRS (Gender/Sex reassignment surgery). Transitioning is very much a social endeavour in which a person identifies and appears in society as a member of a gender they were not assigned at birth. Many young people under the age of 18 will begin transitioning. Just because someone is transitioning does not mean they have recieved, or even will look to receive GRS.
It can be very helpful for someone beginning to explore transitioning or who is less confident in their transition to have a space in which they can change/use the bathroom which they consider a safe space. A gender neutral bathroom or changing room is a very easy way of achieving this.

A question for actual transgenders or so: is it really a desire for you (rational or gut-feeling) people to abolish the idea of gender as a whole?

Because that seems like a bit of a silly goal. Biological gender is not a fixed binary thing, but the two ends are quite definable and real. Wouldn't it make more sense for schools to push the idea that falling somewhere in-between happen and are just not a big deal?

First, Transgender is a verb not a noun. I am a transgender person, not a transgender.

No, I don't want to abolish gender. I have read pieces by people who do, both cisgender people and transgender people, but I don't agree with them as a whole. Gender, in my opinion, is a scale, much like sexuality. At that point, why abolish it, when a person can already identify with either end, be in the middle, vary up and down the scale or remove themselves from the scale altogether.

Edit: for formatting

[Serafina]

Gender is complicated.

Not only is it not tied to biological sex, its also not binary. Meaning that there are people who genuinely do not identify as either male or female. To at least some degree the idea of gender is a social construct, though the degree is hotly contested.

Yes, there are certain people who are arguing for the abolishment of gender. That's mostly people who see gender as a pure social construct, comparable to castes in certain societies. That view tends to clash with the view of transmen and transwomen, because they are not just breaking out of one gender, but also settling into another - so for them, there is an area of identification they are comfortable with, more so than discarding that identification altogether.

Having gender-neutral pronouns and terms is actually rather important to get that message across. For example, i'm using "they" when referring to my partner, who is genderneutral (neither male nor female)*, and adressing a message to "boys and girls" would leave out gender-neutral and genderqueer people.


Spoiler

*My partner/girlfriend is biologically female, mostly feminine in appearance and not planning or desiring on changing either of that. However, they are much more comfortable when people don't view them as female so they have chosen a male name (to contrast with appearance) and are ideally referred to with gender-neural pronouns and terms (with a few expceptions).

[Sidewinder]

I must emphasize that this is at a high school, meaning most students are not yet physically mature, and thus, below the legal age of consent. How and why would a 16-year-old kid get a sex-change operation? Shouldn't this kid wait until he or she is at least 18?

I'm... avoiding the rest of this thread carefully, but this...
There is a significant difference between transitioning and receiving GRS/SRS (Gender/Sex reassignment surgery). Transitioning is very much a social endeavour in which a person identifies and appears in society as a member of a gender they were not assigned at birth. Many young people under the age of 18 will begin transitioning. Just because someone is transitioning does not mean they have recieved, or even will look to receive GRS.
It can be very helpful for someone beginning to explore transitioning or who is less confident in their transition to have a space in which they can change/use the bathroom which they consider a safe space. A gender neutral bathroom or changing room is a very easy way of achieving this.

Shouldn't a person delay the "transition" until he or she is at least 18, legally considered an adult, more likely to be financially independent (and less likely to be affected if a parent considers his or her behavior to be "freakish," and takes measures to "discipline" them), and outside of the downright TOXIC environment a high school is? Adolescence can be an extremely confusing and conflicting period for people, as I know from personal experience.

[HMS Sophia]

Shouldn't a person delay the "transition" until he or she is at least 18, legally considered an adult, more likely to be financially independent (and less likely to be affected if a parent considers his or her behavior to be "freakish," and takes measures to "discipline" them), and outside of the downright TOXIC environment a high school is? Adolescence can be an extremely confusing and conflicting period for people, as I know from personal experience.

While that is a lovely and indeed logical idea, the problem is thus:
The majority of people who decide to transition deal with something called Gender Dysphoria, which is generally described as an inherent knowledge that the gender they present as in society is wrong for them. This can cause discomfort, disassociation, depression and worse. The only known way of treating GD is to transition.
Maybe it would be the most logical for someone to wait until they are 18 to transition. But then they get the horrors of high school with an added helping of despising their body, which in many leads to self-harm and attempted suicide. The statistics (Which I can get if you really want) are sickening. If someone wants to transition before they're 18, they should, and they should be supported in that in any way they can be.

[RogueIce]

When seeking links to articles affirming what I read, I came across a description of gender-neutral changing rooms at a high school.

Students' union member Camille Trombetti says the changing room is not only "for transsexual" students but any student who wants privacy when changing for school activities.

It's a single, private cubicle, not a place where a bunch of students undress like a typical locker room: "...says they decided on the cubicle where one person can change at a time..." Emphasis mine.

TBH instituting private changing areas across the board might not be a bad idea anyway, given all the various body issues kids tend to have even without bringing gender identity into it. Surely you know of (or maybe even were) the kids who, say, wore their PE shorts under their normal clothes or did the whole "put shirt over other shirt, take off under-shirt underneath over-shirt" routine?

Granted there are obvious practical issues involved, like where to put individual private spaces for 30 or so kids to change at one time, especially in older buildings. Even the quoted example is just one changing area, so imagine the logistical issues if everyone in class wanted to use it and had to wait.

As far as this story goes? Well it does appear to be legit, sort of. It's not so much a "rule" as it is "guidance" for teachers. A local news article addressing the issue:

The handouts, provided by a staff member on a district equity team, were meant only for teachers, not for students or parents, she said.

And they were not meant as rules staff had to follow, but as suggestions for how teachers can make students feel comfortable. It also stresses the impact words can have on others, Leggiardo said.

“If there’s a staff member that’s uninformed and unsupportive, that can be pretty scary for a family maybe struggling to understand transgender issues themselves,” she said.

So yeah.

The fact this training and these hand-outs exist is indeed legitimate. The interpretation and what it means is up to you, I suppose.

I mean, sure they say it's suggestions and not rules, but does that mean a teacher will or won't get in trouble for saying "boys and girls" in the event someone complains to administration? Only time will tell, I guess. And whether or not that would be a good thing is left as an exercise for the individual.

[madd0ct0r]

@sidewinder
plus, there's a reason why the beauty of thai 'ladyboys'* is famous. Certain strong female hormones were available over the counter in Thailand as part of conctraceptive regimes. If you are 14 and know you are a woman, using these can help prevent adolescence screwing up your bone structure, making transition much easier. Avoiding male bone structure in the first place sure beats having to have different parts of your skeleton ground or shaved down. It also makes the years you are waiting (or saving) for the surgery less unpleasant.




*I don't even know if this is still insulting or has been reclaimed or is just what works for this particular group,

[Elheru Aran]

Gender identity is a pretty complicated thing, and age is largely irrelevant to the equation apart from the corresponding sociocultural factors. A person can be transgender at 6, 16, or 60.

[HMS Sophia]

'ladyboys'*

*I don't even know if this is still insulting or has been reclaimed or is just what works for this particular group,

I personally really dislike it, and so will a lot of western transgender women, most likely. Mainly because of the association with the sex industry and the hyper-sexualisation and dehumanisation that transgender women suffer over here. I will not speak for transgender women in Thailand and similar areas, but here it's not taken well.