School suspends sex education as independent review launched after drag queen 'told 11-year-olds there are 73 genders'

28 February 2023, 12:32

A school has suspended its sex education curriculum after a drag queen guest speaker was believed to have told 11-year-olds there are 73 genders.

An independent review was launched into Queen Elizabeth II High School in Peel, Isle of Man, after Year 7 students were left "traumatised" over the guest speaker's comments.

One “upset” child responded saying “there’s only two”, to which the drag queen allegedly responded “you’ve upset me” and made the pupil leave the class.

The review of the school's personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum comes after parents raised concerns over the curriculum.

Some students were taught about oral and anal sex while others learned about sex change operations, according to the Telegraph.

Concerns centred around the "graphic, disproportionate, indecent presentation" of sexual acts and gender identities being taught.

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“A lot of children are just too traumatised to even talk to their parents," Eliza Cox, vice-chairman of Marown Commissioners, told Energy FM Isle of Man.

Parents at the school launched a petition calling for an “immediate investigation into the alleged actions of teachers delivering the age-inappropriate material to children”.

The petition, addressed to the school’s headteacher and signed by more than 500 people, stated: “We consider the attendance of a ‘drag queen’ in class and alienating students clearly confused about the information discussed during this session wholly inappropriate.  

“How, who and why was this guest speaker permitted to discuss gender issues to an inappropriate child audience by an inexperienced and untrained adult?”

A teacher at the school was said to be so uncomfortable with the content of the PSHE curriculum that they told pupils: “Please don’t listen to me."

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Head teacher of the school Charlotte Clarke said: "Having viewed a video which is currently circulating on social media relating to the school’s RSE curriculum and its delivery, we are concerned that there could be a number of inaccuracies with the information being shared.

"Given the concerns being raised, and in order to be open and transparent, we requested an independent review into the situation. 

"As such I am happy to take part in the independent review which is being deployed by the Department of Education, Sport and Culture and would encourage our community to avoid speculation at this time."

A spokesperson for the Department for Education added: "Schools must make sure all content they use is factual and age-appropriate, and engage with parents so they are aware of what their children are being taught.

"We will write to all schools this term to emphasise the rights of parents to see teaching materials being taught to their children in schools."