World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Files
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I'm just quoting the IT article that you linked.
The reason I linked the article is because there was some earlier confusion in the discussion around whether or not the concept of gender identity is being taught in Irish schools. I provided the article by way of confirming that it is, that was all. Unfortunately, because of the way the article is written, I see now what you mean. It's why I didn't want to be putting words in your mouth or making assumptions - because right off the bat, learning outcomes are not mandatory. They are expectations which, providing the course has been delivered in accordance with the curriculum, students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the core concepts of the curriculum. They are the learning outcomes. To suggest that schools would be required to promote anything which undermines the ethos, or the 'characteristic spirit' of the school, would require the Board of Management to violate Section 15 of the Education Act, which would obviously, be unlawful:
In order for that to happen, the attempt to do an end-run around the Constitution would have to be successful, or confront the issue in the Constitution head-on, by way of holding a referendum on the numerous safeguards against what you'd be trying to do. While it would be ideal to be able to give Government parties credit for having their finger on the pulse of the nation's youth, by way of crediting them for coming up with the idea of policies that "reflect the reality of young people's lives" all by themselves, sadly the reality is that they did not (as partly evidenced as you suggest, by the outcome of the recent referendums). It was young people themselves who made the point that the current RSE curriculum does not reflect the reality of young people's lives, that the curriculum is too biological and so on:
That attempt at an end-run around the Constitution I mentioned earlier? Well, it came from the noble stalwarts on the Left flank, in the form of the Provision of Objective Sex Education Bill 2018, sponsored by the usual suspects, though one will always have my unending admiration and respect for the single act of defiance for which she will always be remembered - Ms. Coppinger's swinging her knickers about in Dáil Chambers. And it's a good thing that she is remembered for something, because her political positions at least, and those of her colleagues in opposition, leave much to be desired.
A lot of people are quite fed up with that way of thinking - that we just formalise whatever it is that (young) people already know, rather than give them guidance which they can choose to accept or reject.
As you can see from the above screenshot of a summary of the opinions given by young people who were asked, for the purposes of the development of the new RSE national curriculum - your thinking and theirs is really not that far apart! They're well, well aware of the biological mechanics of sex, and they are aware of sex, in that they know what it is. They do not need guidance in that regard. What they wish for, as they suggest themselves, is a little respect. There's an argument to be made for the idea that in order to get it, you have to give it, but everyone by virtue of the fact that they are a human being and a member of society, is entitled to respect for that much. Personally speaking, I'm a giver, without the necessary expectation of reciprocation. There is of course a line between being a giver, and being a doormat. Establishing clear personal boundaries is all part of that conversation, which deserves its own thread, as it is beyond the scope of this one.
That's what I'm taking from the article you quoted. I assume they haven't misrepresented the document. It's pretty much what you would expect tbh, given the level of NGO influence over policy.
At this point I hope to have demonstrated that the author of the article, and his sources, have misrepresented the document, not surprisingly, in order as I suggested earlier - to play the victim. Because in spite of their belief, their views absolutely do not represent the views of the majority of Catholics in this country who wish for their children to have an appropriate form of education which is in accordance with what they believe is in their own children's best interests, as is their right under the same Constitution which applies to everyone in Irish society:
It is exactly pretty much as I would expect, though I suspect we have different expectations given that while we agree there is an enormous amount of NGO influence over national policy, we may disagree on our understanding of what is an NGO, given that the few hundred non-government organisations are dwarfed in both stature and influence by the largest NGO in the country which is the Catholic Church, with its many, many affiliate organisations such as every one of the 3,000 schools under the Patronage of the Catholic Bishops of Ireland, never mind the numerous voluntary organisations influenced by the Catholic Church in all aspects of Irish Culture and Irish society.0 -
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