Head teachers in the UK are calling on colleagues of girl-only schools not to call girls ‘girls’ and instead to stick to the term ‘pupils’ or ‘students’.
The Girls' School Association wants the neutral terms to be used to reflect the change in society where it comes to gender.
“Language is one part of this complex pastoral issue and GSA schools, which have a long history of excellence in pastoral care, are at the forefront of showing best practice in including transgendered pupils,” Caroline Jordan, president of the GSA said at the association’s annual Summer Briefing for Heads.
Transgender students - crux of matter is schools have a duty of care to all pupils: https://t.co/W4VyZORzGQ
— Girls' Schools Assoc (@GSAUK) June 20, 2016
Explaining how schools have a duty of care to transgender pupils, she added: “Every year there are more and more young people posing questions around their gender identity. I do not want anyone to think that girls or boys are invested in one way of being a girl or one way of being a boy.”
“Where relevant to the audience, in assemblies, for example, instead of saying: 'Girls, go to lessons,' staff should consider saying, 'Pupils, go to lessons,' or 'Students, go to lessons'.
However, the GSA cannot force the change, and have said it is up to individual schools to implement where they think is appropriate.
