Parents of course do not speak with one voice.

Many may be comfortable with or support a social justice vision of schooling, and polling indicates that on some of the most contested issues there is a sizeable minority which has yet to take a view, which would indicate that greater transparency over curriculum content would at least help parents to become better informed. Many parents are unaware of the content being taught to their children. I know I’m harping back to a controversial figure here, but Mary Whitehouse introduced sex and relationship education in schools with the onus on parents being invited in to the school before the students were taught about it, so parents were informed and forewarned about any questions children may have. I personally don’t see why this cannot be put back on the table! Despite her controversial reputation, Whitehouse’s influence cannot be underestimated.

“We must protect the innocence of our children, for they are the future.” Mary Whitehouse

Parents, it’s time to stand up to woke schools

Recently two high profile reports highlighted how widespread gender ideology and “sex-positivity”, a no-holds barred approach to sex education, are in schools. This is borne out by our Civitas polling of pupils aged 16 to 18 of whom 41 per cent had been taught about sex positivity, 32 per cent had been told in school that “a woman can have a penis”, and 67 per cent that “sex is assigned at birth”, a transgender-promoting fallacy that conveniently bypasses biological reality. “The turning point at my school came with a planned lesson from an “expert” sex-positive agency whose website then featured a dominatrix offering sex education and pornographic prompts to its Instagram pages. A series of screenshots to the head teacher as part of a diligent parental campaign prompted an eleventh-hour cancellation and a commitment to bring all RSE (Relationship and Sex Education) back in-house.” Jo-Anne Nadler

Parents Assemble

The document, authored by Barry Wall, seminar leader of “The Winning Mindset – Creating Warrior Teachers” program, aims to equip parents and educators with tools to resist what Wall terms “Woke ideology” (including EDI/DEI, Critical Social Justice, and related concepts) in schools. Wall argues that these ideologies threaten traditional Western values rooted in the Enlightenment—such as free speech, merit, family, and equality—and are infiltrating education to indoctrinate children.

Key Points:

1. Purpose and Call to Action: Wall positions parents as “shock troops” to protect children from ideological “capture” of schools by Wokeism, urging them to identify and disrupt its influence.
2. Parental Rights: Cites the Human Rights Act 1998 (Article 2, Protocol 1), which supports parents’ rights to influence education based on their convictions, though this is balanced against the state’s duty to provide a pluralistic curriculum. Barry stresses “pluralistic” education should prioritise diverse thought, not ideologies like Critical Social Justice (CSJ), which he views as dogmatic and destructive.
3. Critique of Woke Ideology: Labels CSJ and related concepts (e.g., Critical Race Theory, gender ideology, Queer Theory) as anti-Western, grievance-driven, and akin to cults or historical atrocities (e.g., Maoism, Nazism). Argues these should not be taught as valid perspectives but as examples of social contagion and mass psychosis, especially for children over 13, and deems them inappropriate for under-13s.
4. Age-Appropriate Education: Suggests framing such ideologies alongside historical examples like eugenics or the Salem Witch Trials to teach critical thinking, not affirmation. Rejects cultural and moral relativism, defending Western values as superior and warning against “suicidal empathy” that tolerates harmful practices.
5. Practical Tools: Example Letter: A template for parents to send to headteachers, refusing consent for their child’s exposure to “woke” teachings, symbols (e.g., Pride flags), or books promoting gender ideology or racial grievance (e.g., Antiracist Baby, Gender Queer). It demands education focus on neutral, core subjects and allows CSJ only as a study of harmful dynamics. Not My Future Project: An activist strategy where children report “alert words” (e.g., “privilege,” “oppression,” “equity”) heard in school, prompting parental action. Word lists are tailored by age (8-11, 11-13, 13+), framed as games or detective missions.
6. Tone and Disclaimer: Wall emphasizes personal responsibility, clarifying this is not legal advice but a resource for consideration. Encourages mass resistance through education, offering further resources via his X handle (@HeadwarriorTWM) and groups like the Women’s Rights Network.

References & Useful links

• https://www.civitas.org.uk/publications/show-tell-and-leave-nothing-to-the-imagination/
• https://web.archive.org/web/20241225063953/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/14/parents-its-time-to-stand-up-to-woke-schools/
• https://thewinningmindset.co.uk/elementor-505/