written by Anonymous

I know that I should have pushed through, confronted them with it, argued my case but it’s a very scary environment to be in. And I can’t afford to lose my job.

Until recently, as an A-Level teacher of English Literature I had to teach a booklet explaining various theoretical perspectives including Feminist criticism. The syllabus then changed. Last year, I was teaching a poem by Donne and thought that I could use this booklet to give the students a quick introduction. It had key features on Feminist theory as explained by Peter Barry, an eminent academic.

I gave out the booklets and started reading through. And had to stop. “Sex is the biologically determined state, gender is a socially construct.” I had several students who are voracious TRAs and I was honestly terrified that if I tried to teach materials that had five years previously been compulsory, I would have ended up being reported for hate speech. I gathered everything in, went to the book cupboard and had a panic attack.

I’m sorry. I know that I should have pushed through, confronted them with it, argued my case but it’s a very scary environment to be in. And I can’t afford to lose my job. And I can’t be sure I can’t. Like I say – sorry.