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What's happening in our schools? Across the world and right here in New Zealand, more and more schools have incorporated gender theory into the school curriculum. Many schools in New Zealand have been teaching gender theory for several years, either through their own lesson plans based on the 2020 Relationships and Sexulaity Education (RSE) Guide or through third party ‘Rainbow’ organisations. Below we have collected testimonials from parents, teachers, and students about the many negative effects of gender ideology teaching in NZ schools. In March 2025, after many complaints from parents, the RSE Guide was removed from schools and soon after a new draft RSE framework was released for public consultation. 2025 Changes in RSE In March 2025, the Relationships and Sexuality (RSE) Guide was removed from the Ministry of Education's website and the following month a new draft RSE framework was released for public consultation. The draft is a huge improvement in basing RSE on scientifically accurate and age appropriate information. Read more Who's in charge - the Minister or the Ministry of Education? Why are resources like Navigating the Journey, that promote the gender ideological language and beliefs of the RSE Guide, still being used in schools despite the removal of the Guide? Read more A roadmap for schools The NZ Guidelines on Sex and Gender in Schools was sent to all schools in May 2024. It is a research-based and compassionate roadmap to support schools to develop a respectful school climate that meets the needs of their community. Read more Rainbow teaching in schools Some schools may not have teachers instructing students on relationships and sexuality at all, but may instead outsource this teaching to various Rainbow organisations or other groups under the guise of ‘anti-bullying’ or ‘diversity’ classes. Be aware of what these organisations are teaching your children: Read more When kindness becomes cruelty In a reversal of the old saying “being cruel to be kind”, some schools in NZ have practices that they think are being kind but, in fact, may lead to the cruelty of long term harm to their students. Read more What are your kids reading? Do the books in your child’s school library include a wide range of characters, with girls who are strong and independent and boys who show gentleness and compassion? Or do they maintain that sex is defined by interests and it is easy and ‘cool’ to change gender? Read more Your rights as a teacher The Ministry of Education endorses the idea that being transgender is a positive and ‘authentic’ choice for young children to make. As a teacher, what can you do if you disagree and don’t want to teach children that sex is on a spectrum and can be changed at will? Read more Testimonials From all over the country, parents are reporting alarming new school practices that, at best, are confusing children about the science of sex and, at worst, are teaching children gender ideology as fact. Parents are witnessing children being coerced into accepting a belief that requires them to deny the reality they see with their own eyes and to go along with gender demands in fear of repercussions. Read more The responsibilities of BOTs In the last few years, schools and teachers have found themselves in a gender minefield without the training or quality guidance they need on how to navigate through the demands being placed upon them by some very confused ideas about sex and gender. Read more

Gender issues Gender theory is the idea that a person’s feeling of being masculine, feminine, or neither, is more important than their physical sexed body, and those feelings should take precedence in law and in everyday life. Without any public consultation, this belief has taken hold in our institutions – education, health, sport, justice – and is causing widespread and sometimes irreversible harm to children, women, and lesbians. FAQs There is a range of views within gender identity activism, with some acknowledging that sex is an objective classification and others contending that sex is on a spectrum and that binary classifications are scientifically false. The more extreme activists say that there are hundreds or thousands of distinct and legitimate gender identities, all of which should be recognised by others. Read more The Cass Review The world's most comprehensive review of gender medicine for children was published in April 2024. It unequivocally demolishes the core beliefs of gender identity ideology and concludes that gender-distressed children should be treated in the same way as children with other mental health concerns. Read more Who needs puberty? Trans activists say that ‘transgender children’ should be able to go through the ‘right’ puberty. But the only ‘right’ puberty is the natural one launched by a person’s own body. Read more Puberty blockers - a human wrong Puberty blockers are a type of medication called Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues. They are not licensed for use for adolescents, and they are not licensed for gender incongruence or dysphoria. Read more Social transition is not a good idea The first you as a parent may know about your child's transgender ideation, is when they request (or demand) to “socially transition”. This can mean anything from choosing a gender-neutral nickname and wearing androgynous clothing, right through to adopting an opposite sex name, pronouns, and clothes and wanting to be recognised as the chosen sex by everyone else and in all facets of life. Read more The truth about transgender medicine There is mounting evidence of the harm being caused by “affirmation only” gender medicine but it is rarely covered in mainstream media, which routinely glamourises the practice. Medical specialists and therapists have joined the voices of detransitioners to call for more careful diagnosis and treatment. Read more The intersex red herring Intersex, or DSD (difference in sexual development), is a medical condition that presents in dozens of different ways. However, most people who have DSD can be readily classified as male or female, with chromosomal abnormalities, and are not a hybrid mixture of sexes. Read more Drag Queen storytime Drag shows in libraries are advertised as family friendly but beneath the glitter is a message that children can ignore their innate wariness of strangers and that adults who provide colour, fun, and flamboyance can be implicitly trusted. Read more Human rights for everyone Under NZ law, parents have a range of rights and responsibilities that they can exercise when raising their children. Read more Comprehensive websites These websites contain a multitude of resources on every facet of gender identity ideology – from what gender activists believe, to the harms caused by puberty blockers and cross sex hormones, to the scientific and legal facts that are routinely ignored. Read more Read, watch, and listen Our top picks of books, articles, substacks, videos, and podcasts that explain the gender identity phenomenon and support parents and professionals who are caught up in the whirlwind. Also links to RGE's interviews. Read more

Please get in touch - we are happy to discuss gender ideology in schools Contact Us If you have a testimonial or experience to share regarding gender ideology in schools, or you are wanting more information, please contact us via email on info@resistgendereducation.nz If you want to subscribe to updates then please provide your email address below. Follow us on social media Subscribe to updates Email Subscribe Thanks for subscribing! Please add website@resistgendereducation.nz to your contacts to avoid our newsletters going to spam

For parents In the face of the powerful international lobby promoting transgender beliefs to our children, what can parents do? Here is information and advice to help families navigate the unfamiliar and frightening territory of transgender ideation. FAQs about RSE What are the Ministry requirements for teaching Relationships and Sexuality Education? Should schools still be using the same RSE resources as they did last year? Read more We need to talk about gender identity This is a 12-slide Power Point presentation about the impact of gender ideology on schools, for parents to use when talking to the Board of Trustees. If you use this presentation, please email info@resistgendereducation.nz to give feedback. Click on the Read More button to automatically download the Power Point. Read more Advice from other parents When a child, seemingly out of the blue, claims a transgender or non-binary identity, parents can find themselves alone with their questions and misgivings. Here, parents will find the information, advice, and support they seek, and a place to share their experiences. Read more Your rights as a parent Parents have the right to opt their children out of specified parts of the health curriculum related to sexuality. Parents have the responsibility of making major decisions on behalf of their children. But some schools have policies and practices that evade these parental rights and responsibilities. Read more Manual for parents One click for all the information you need! Our most useful information for parents is collected here onto one page. (November 2023 - to be updated after the new curriculum has been written.) Read more Letter templates Here is our collection of letters that parents can use as a template for their own letters to the teacher, principal, or BOT. Read more Spread the word While it is important to engage with your child’s principal and teacher, it is also important to educate the parents around you about what is being taught. Once you start talking to other parents about this issue, you will be surprised how many parents are unaware of what is being taught during RSE classes or the potential for harm posed by gender theory. Read more Don't stop now Five more ways to help expel gender ideology from NZ schools Read more

Our latest Substacks It's not okay for schools to let boys say they are girls When schools bend over backwards to give boys who say they are girls whatever they desire, they are callously overlooking the dignity and rights of all their female students. Read more Time to start talking about the UK Puberty Blocker trial A cross post from Active Watchful Waiting Australia about why we should be paying attention to the unethical Pathways trial. Read more PATHA goes to the Court of Appeal On Monday 26 January, the NZ Court of Appeal will reconvene early after the summer break especially to hear an appeal from PATHA* about the High Court interim ruling of 17 December that gave ‘interim relief’ to the government’s puberty blocker ban. Read more Lessons in Gender A cross post from "The Ministry has Fallen" - how kids were taught that dismantling sex was moral, proper and clever. Read more The judge who knew too little and was swayed by PATHA When PATHA sought an injunction to stop the government's ban on puberty blockers, the judge heard almost none of the evidence in support of the regulation and was not informed that PATHA's 'expert evidence' is nothing of the sort. Read more To be, or not to be, consulted? Public submissions are open until January 14 on whether parents should be informed instead of consulted about RSE content. Read about why RGE supports the change. Read more PATHA puts a nail in its own coffin PATHA has released new "Gender Affirming Healthcare Guidelines" that reveal it to be a body modification activist group, not a professional healthcare organisation. Read more Red-letter day in NZ The government’s decision to halt new prescriptions of puberty blockers for the treatment of gender dysphoria is a welcome recognition that puberty is a crucial developmental pathway into adulthood that should not be disrupted. Read more Stuff breaks its silence with bias, hypocrisy and misinformation Last week the BBC was in the news for its "systemic bias" in reporting unfairly on trans issues. The legacy media in NZ has been playing the same game for years. If it wants to save itself from the huge embarrassment swirling around the BBC, legacy media needs to start reporting accurately and fairly on transgender issues or watch its audience numbers continue to decline. Read more Gentle parenting and the link to gender identity The link between this parenting style and gender identity may not be immediately obvious but it became striking during the evidence given by Professor Alexandra Gunn in support of Wellington Pride at the Human Rights Review Tribunal in Wellington in July. Read more New RSE curriculum raises cautious optimism RGE gives A- to the new RSE curriculum It is hugely improved but there are still some areas needing attention. Read more We need to talk about gender identity In October 2025, let's make the most of the opportunities to talk frankly about gender identity: A Genspect webinar Helen Joyce's tour of NZ A biased Media Council ruling The hush-hush Human Rights Review Tribunal. Read more Wishful thinking to be elevated to a human right Every protecton in the Human Rights Act for the safety, dignity, and fairness of women and girls is to be sacrificed in favour of the disconnected-from-reality feelings of people with transgender identities. Read on for RGE's deeper dive into what the Law Commission has recommended and what we can do about it. Read more The Law Commission has declared open season on girls' rights In its "Ia Tangata" report, released on 4 September, The Law Commission has proposed major changes to the Human Rights Act that will remove the right to exclude people of the opposite sex from single-sex schools, public facilities, and many sports. Although the change would also apply to boys’ schools and facilities, it is indisputable that the impact of these proposed changes would be far more profound for girls. Click to read our Press Statement. Read more Use your voice and your vote Elections for school Boards of Trustees are due to take place in September. It is time to hold schools to account for pushing gender ideology. Ask questions and vote! Read more # Not all librarians Sex realist librarians are also struggling with the tsunami of children's books that promote gender ideology. They need our support. Read more Is it hateful to say humans can't change sex? If you haven’t heard of this important LAVA vs Wellington Pride case, which has been simmering since 2021, the crux of the dispute is that LAVA (Lesbian Action for Visibility Aotearoa) was excluded from a Pride event in Wellington in 2021 for holding the belief that men cannot become women. The dispute has now reached the Human Rights Review Tribunal (HRRT) which is tasked with considering whether saying humans cannot change sex is a protected belief under the Human Rights Act or a view so hateful and harmful it does not warrant protection. Read more Who's in charge - the Minister or the Ministry of Education? Why are resources like Navigating the Journey, that promote the gender ideological language and beliefs of the RSE Guide, still being used in NZ schools despite the removal of the Guide? Read more Pronouns as weapons of deception Journalist, David Fisher, by using male pronouns for Vanessa, has endorsed all those who blithely affirmed a mentally unwell teen’s make believe that she had changed sex. He quotes an online friend of hers saying Vanessa was “deeply entrenched and trapped in his thinking”, yet Fisher has failed to join the dots and see that part of Vanessa’s illness was taking extreme measures to deflect attention from her eating. Read more Transgenderism enables anorexia Keen to avoid looking in the mirror at their own culpability, trans activists have studiously ignored the fact that Vanessa had a raft of other serious mental illnesses; OCD, ODD, autism and the well-documented and long-standing anorexia. It was only towards the very end of her short life that gender dysphoria manifested itself. Read more The tragic loss of our daughter Vanessa PRESS RELEASE 17 June 2025 It is with deep sadness that we, as the parents of Vanessa, speak out against the sensationalised portrayal of our daughter’s life and death in a recent article by David Farrier. We are heartbroken by the story that has been shared publicly and deeply disappointed by the way Mr Farrier has weaponised Vanessa's* distress and struggles with complex mental illness. Read more An inexcusable failure The story of our health and education system, in thrall to gender ideology, undermining a mentally unwell girl’s parents and ignoring the recommendations of her psychiatrist. Read more Bamboozled by words How gender activist language manipulates teachers and parents. Read more Puberty needs protection “Puberty is the essential bridge between childhood and adulthood. We must protect every adolescent’s right to cross it, so they have the best possible chance at a healthy and free future,” writes Stella O’Malley in this announcement of Genspect’s Memorandum of Understanding on the Role of Puberty. Read more Don't stop now Five more ways to help expel gender ideology from NZ schools. Read more Picture book propaganda (Part 1) NZ libraries are pushing gender nonsense to pre-schoolers. Read more Picture book propaganda (Part 2) Public libraries are funded by local government and library managers are responsible for writing and applying collection policies, in compliance with the guidelines of their local council and LIANZA (the Library and Information Association). Because public and school library collections are managed differently, complaints to each need to be handled differently. Read more A hat trick for sex realism April 2025 in NZ has been a good month for confirmation that there are only two sexes. Read more Who needs puberty? Trans activists say that ‘transgender children’ should be able to go through the ‘right’ puberty. But the only ‘right’ puberty is the natural one launched by a person’s own body. Read more Proceed with caution At long last, the Ministry of Education has released the new draft framework for relationships and sexuality education and has opened it to public consultation. Overall, it is a vast improvement on the 2020 RSE Guide that was removed in March. Read more Keep it simple It will take patience and perseverance to break through the ‘be kind and inclusive’ catchcry. Key to getting our message across is keeping it simple. The following three strong points are good places to start the critical conversations with your family, friends, school, and MPs. Read more Losing the plot at the library In all the heat generated by Destiny Church’s non-peaceful protest at Te Atatu library on February 15, the underlying reason for the protest has become obscured. Tamaki talks about the need to protect children but none of the soundbites identify that it’s protection from gender identity ideology that is necessary. Read more

A handy guide to topics covered in RGE's substack Index to Substack Index to RGE's substack C Cass Review https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/august-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/july-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/cass-on-education https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/may-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/april-2024 Community Consultation https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/kicking-the-can-down-the-road https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/consultation-use-it-or-lose-it https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/informed-consent-is-missing-in-action https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/september-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/sex-education-who-decides-the-content Curriculum (how it is written & that it is not compulsory) https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/ero-dynamics https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/dealing-with-the-curriculum D Drag Queen Storytime Losing the plot at the library https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/libraries-go-astray https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/drag-for-teens-anyone E Education Review Office (ERO) https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/press-statement https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/ero-dynamics https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/kicking-the-can-down-the-road Expert evidence https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/september-2024 (Sweden & Switzerland) F Free speech / Freedom of belief https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/has-christmas-come-early https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/september-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/fishhooks-in-inclusive-education https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/the-new-compulsory-religion G Gender ideology (having honest conversations) Keep it Simple https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/keep-it-simple https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/cp/152261067 Trust depends on truth https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/october-2024 Gender lessons https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/cp/147477084 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/cp/135269572 Government policy https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/june-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/may-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/broken-election-promise https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/november-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/the-ministry-of-must-agree https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/follow-the-science-mr-hipkins Guidelines for schools https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/july-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/a-roadmap-for-schools H Human rights https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/september-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/keep-gender-ideology-out-of-the-hra https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/july-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/may-2023 I InsideOUT https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/drag-for-teens-anyone Intersex https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/the-intersex-red-herring L Law Commission https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/have-your-say https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/july-2024https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/keep-gender-ideology-out-of-the-hra Letter templates https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/august-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/unmitigated-stress https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/drag-for-teens-anyone https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/pride-is-propaganda M Misinformation https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/july-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/mischief-making-by-the-mental-health https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/november-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/challenging-harmful-policies-is-not N Newsletters https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/january-2025 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/november-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/october-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/september-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/august-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/july-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/june-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/may-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/april-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/march-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/february-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/january-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/november-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/october-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/september-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/august-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/july-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/june-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/may-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/april-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/march-2023 O OIA questions to schools https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/simple-questions-some-schools-wont https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/the-statistics-we-are-not-allowed P Poll results https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/may-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/april-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/push-back-from-parents https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/time-for-action https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/june-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/pride-is-propaganda https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/challenging-harmful-policies-is-not Preferred pronouns https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/september-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/fishhooks-in-inclusive-education https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/the-new-compulsory-religion President Trump's Executive Orders https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/january-2025 Pride https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/questions-of-pride https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/june-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/the-new-compulsory-religion https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/drag-for-teens-anyone https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/pride-is-propaganda https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/april-2023 Puberty blockers https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/puberty-blockers-a-human-wrong https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/a-win-or-just-spin Puberty blockers consultation https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/october-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/september-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/july-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/march-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/january-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/august-2023 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/may-2023 R Relationships & Sexuality Education (content) https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/cut-out-the-nonsense-ms-stanford https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/challenging-harmful-policies-is-not https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/sex-education-who-decides-the-content Roadmap for Schools https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/july-2024https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/a-roadmap-for-schools S School Docs https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/august-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/fishhooks-in-inclusive-education School policies https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/october-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/a-roadmap-for-schools https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/when-kindness-becomes-cruelty https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/january-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/how-to-get-it-right https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/fishhooks-in-inclusive-education https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/the-new-compulsory-religion Sex secrets in schools https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/july-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/february-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/may-2023 Sexualisation https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/october-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/parents-against-the-zeitgeist https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/july-2023 Social transitioning https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/when-kindness-becomes-cruelty https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/february-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/september-2023 Suicide statistics https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/july-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/february-2024 T Teachers’ rights https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/june-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/unmitigated-stress https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/a-dilemma-for-teachers Teacher unions https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/listen-up-teacher-unions Testimonials https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/cut-out-the-nonsense-ms-stanford https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/july-2023 Toilets https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/another-planet https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/may-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/may-2023 W WPATH discredited https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/october-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/march-2024 https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/losing-the-plot-at-the-library

Do the books in your child’s school library include a wide range of characters, with girls who are strong and independent and boys who show gentleness and compassion? Or do they maintain that sex is defined by interests and it is easy and ‘cool’ to change gender? What are your kids reading? There is a plethora of children’s and Young Adult books now in schools that refer to gender identity, pronouns, LGBTQ+, transgender, or non-binary, and are drenched in gender ideology. They deny there are two sexes and that we are born male or female. Instead, they claim, we are assigned sex at birth and that it is liberating to claim a different ‘gender identity’. Even worse, hundreds of picture books are in our public libraries and schools, promoting gender ideology to 2-8 year olds. Read our three substacks on the topic. Picture book propaganda (Part 1) Picture book propaganda (Part 2) Not all librarians Do the books in your child’s school library include a wide range of girl and boy characters with girls who are strong and independent and boys who show gentleness and compassion? Do the stories build positive attitudes to girls’ and boys’ bodies, or do they foster body dissociation by saying bodies ought to be altered to match sex stereotypes? Do the plotlines assert that children can actually change sex and it is easy, desirable, and ‘cool’ to do so? Are the books telling confused children that they can find their “authentic selves” through medical intervention? Here we list some books that DO have a clear-thinking approach to sex and gender and also a few books that should be avoided. Books with an asterisk are highly recommended - ask the school librarian to purchase them. Positive books for Primary Students Positive books for Secondary Students Books to Avoid

A letter to the teacher A letter to the teacher Kia ora [teacher] Regarding the health curriculum, we are happy for [child] to learn about puberty, gay, lesbian and bisexual sexualities, reproduction, menstruation, conception etc. We wish to opt [child] out of any discussion about gender identities. We consider gender theory (the idea that everyone has an inner feeling known as a gender identity and that this subjective feeling should be prioritised in law and policy over biological sex) unscientific, sexist and homophobic. For example the book " Jack (Not Jackie)" promotes the sexist idea that if you are a girl and you don't conform with sex stereotypes, then you must really be a boy. A better book (and one that was included in the Navigating the Journey materials and is probably in our school's collection) is " My Princess Boy" . This story is about a boy who doesn't conform with sex stereotypes (he likes pink and wearing dresses). His family accept his non-conformity and there is no suggestion that his gender non-conformity means he is any less a boy or that he has magically changed sex. We also think it is important for boys and young men to learn to respect females' boundaries, to understand that girls and women have the right to say no to males - however those males might identify - who might wish to access spaces reserved for females. Young girls should also be taught that they are allowed to set boundaries. It would also be healthy for boys to be taught to be more accommodating and accepting of males who don't conform with sex stereotypes. We also have concerns about the affirmation approach that underpins the school curriculum (affirming the cross-sex identity of children experiencing gender dysphoria by for example requiring others to use preferred pronouns). NZ's Ministry of Health is currrently conducting a review of evidence for treatment of gender dysphoria in children and it would be prudent for schools to be cautious about promoting any particular approach in the absence of a good evidence base. I mention this as your synopsis includes the discussion topic "Community actions to make everyone safe, comfortable, and included", and in my experience this has meant promoting use of opposite sex pronouns (or neo pronouns) or using opposite sex bathrooms/changing rooms. We teach our kids that everybody is equally deserving of kindness, regardless of how they identify. However, treating other people well does not require that we share in their subjective beliefs about themselves. For example we are atheists but we respect the right of other people to hold their religious or spiritual beliefs. Ngā mihi etc

Resist Gender Education - RSE Open Letter We agree that there is important content in the RSE Guide around consent, pornography, and healthy relationships that should be retained. However, we want all the discredited gender identity material that riddles the Guide to be replaced by content that is scientifically factual, evidence-based and age-appropriate. Open Letter to the Minister of Education We ask that you join us in co-signing this letter to Hon Erica Stanford, the Minister for Education. We agree that there is important content in the RSE Guide around consent, pornography, and healthy relationships that should be retained. However, all the discredited gender identity material that riddles the Guide must be replaced by content that is scientifically factual, evidence-based, and age-appropriate. The Open Letter has now been sent. If you want to download the letter, please click here. 700 people signed We agree that there is important content in the RSE Guide around consent, pornography, and healthy relationships that should be retained*. However, we want all the discredited gender identity material that riddles the Guide to be replaced by content that is scientifically factual, evidence-based and age-appropriate. DO YOU? *See our suggested lesson plans . To sign the open letter please send your full name or organisation name, as you would like it to appear, to our email address openletter@resistgendereducation.nz

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The NZ National Guidelines on Sex and Gender in Schools - a research-based and compassionate roadmap to support schools to develop a respectful school climate that meets the needs of their community. NZ Schools Guidelines Independent NZ Guidelines on Sex and Gender in Schools We have developed this guidance to help New Zealand educators build an understanding of new developments in sex, gender, and identity, to ensure that all students are safe at school. We present research-based evidence and a compassionate roadmap to support schools to develop a respectful school climate that meets the needs of their diverse communities and is in alignment with globally-recognised best practice and pedagogy. Our guidelines are endorsed by Emeritus Professor Sue Middleton and Emeritus Professor David Gerrard. NZ Schools Guidelines .pdf Download PDF • 6.08MB

FAQs - What are the Ministry requirements for teaching Relationships and Sexuality Education? FAQs about RSE in schools Are schools required to teach about relationships and sexuality? Yes , but HOW schools teach the subject is decided by each school. While the RSE curriculum is being rewritten, what topics should schools be teaching? The Minister of Education recommended that schools follow the 2007 curriculum in the interim but some schools are continuing to use the same resources as before, such as Navigating the Journey . Read more about it here . Do parents have any say in what is taught? Yes. By law, schools must consult with their community every two years to decide the content of their RSE. More information about what is a meaningful consultation is here . A case study of a successful primary school consultation is here . Can parents withdraw their children from RSE lessons? Yes. Put your request for withdrawal in writing. A template letter is here . An example of a successful approach to a principal is here . Can parents speak at a Board of Trustees meeting? Yes. Advice on how to go about that is here . Should the school have written policies about RSE and gender practices? Yes. A list of things BOTs should consider and questions to ask them is here . Are all teachers, principals and BOTs in favour of the MOE guidelines for RSE? No. There is a general lack of knowledge, amongst teachers as well as parents, about the detail in the RSE curriculum. While some teachers (and parents) do agree with gender identity beliefs, many are alarmed by the ideas being promoted but are fearful of losing their jobs if they speak against the RSE guidelines or question social transitioning at school. Principals and BOTs are sometimes waiting for parents to speak up so that they have evidence that this teaching is not wanted by their community. You will achieve more if you treat teachers, principals, and BOTs as allies rather than adversaries, and work together to create an RSE curriculum that everyone can support. Can schools transition my child behind my back? Unhappily, yes. This has happened to parents in New Zealand. (See our testimonials . ) The Ministry of Education endorses the practice of hiding changed pronouns in its guide Supporting LGBTQIA Students . RGE has received legal advice that it is entirely dependent on the principal's opinion whether or not parents will be informed. As you cannot be certain that you will be made aware of your child’s social transition at school , it is imperative that you become fully aware of what is being taught there regarding gender identity and which rainbow organisations or clubs the school hosts. Knowing what beliefs are being presented to your child as facts is the first step towards countering this damaging ideology. Can schools take my child to get a binder or puberty blockers without my permission? Possibly. (See previous answer above.) RGE has heard of schools discussing binders , puberty blockers, and cross sex hormones with secondary students but we have not had reports of these things being supplied via schools, possibly because they are easy to get elsewhere. Information about how to access these items is readily available from rainbow lobby groups like InsideOUT, Rainbow Youth, or Gender Minorities.