Children as young as three are being asked to hold up posters when their teachers use sexist language and phrases, at a primary school in Birmingham.
The head teacher of Anderton Park primary school in Moseley, Birmingham, has banned language like, “let’s go, guys”, “man up”, “grow a pair” and “boys and girls.”
If a teacher uses the term “boys and girls” while addressing the class, the pupils are encouraged to hold up a poster which says sexist!
Every week, two students who have uncovered the best examples are rewarded. Head teacher Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain to defend the policy. She said:
“Fast forward a little bit to when the children are older just to see why this is so important because it’s a tiny part of a huge jigsaw. We’ve seen in the last year the biggest ever rise in child abuse, in grooming.
And if our boys and girls grow up and in school we don’t challenge this sexist language and boys are told, ‘man up’, ‘grow a pair’, ‘don’t cry’, ‘boys don’t cry’ – it’s very damaging for them and abusers later on potentially, or bullies, people they walk past on the way home from school – will also use this fear.
And fear is the biggest weapon that abusers have and if boys are told, boys aren’t afraid, boys don’t get scared, boys don’t talk about their feelings, then where are they going to go when they are afraid and they are frightened?”
Anderton school has been in the news before. Two years ago, Muslim parents staged protests outside school gates. The parents objected to children being taught about gay relationships.
Children at a primary school have been taught to reject the use of “sexist” language by teachers. Phrases banned include “man up”, “grow a pair” and even “boys and girls”.
But should we really be teaching toddlers about sexism? pic.twitter.com/ZLhzVSm0z3
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) April 29, 2021
