Thomas Dalby

To pick up one point, the report does not state that the children were “informed” there were 73 genders. The guest said there “could be as many as 72 gender identities”. The children were not “taught” “told” etc there were 72/73 genders, as some have stated, it was apparently an open discussion about what some people believed. I know some will see this as a minor difference, particularly those with an agenda to play to, but it is so important to be accurate here. And this is not intended as a personal criticism of your self or your post.

And no-one on Manx Forums will accuse them of wasting money doing it

It was frustrating that a rebuttal could not have been made earlier but I can see why they wanted to ask a third party to investigate and can’t see that the public hysteria would have been quelled by a statement from the DESC. If you pick a random thread on here, look at the first 20 posters and ask if they would believe any statement put out by a government minister the day after an incident

If anyone goes on Energy FM accusing the DESC of over-reacting to a non-existent threat irony’s dead

A very valid view and one I suspect most would share. I think my point is really just that if I can see any justification for the Bishop being in Tynwald it would be pastoral/advisory rather than as a legislator, and indeed not having a vote might assist in that case

Listening to the Tynwald business this week on the referral to the Standards Committee indicated both the possible benefit of the Bishop being in Tynwald, and also at the same time why he should just be available to provide advice to members and not have a vote. Being referred to the Committee was clearly a stressful and emotional experience, and I suspect someone in that position could do with having someone to whom they can talk to in confidence and find some friendliness and advice from (whether they want to take it on a spiritual level or not), knowing that that person would not be asked to decide their fate or be seen to take sides. If there is a role for the Bishop in Tynwald that would seem to be it.

I have good news, they don’t have to. Join us in the real world sometime

Well when I emailed the Daily Mail to ask if their “special investigative reporter” was aware that the woman claiming on Facebook to be the mother of the child sent out of the class had been in prison for a dishonesty offence they never got back to me.

I think the problem with this in practice is that (a) it is unlikely that all parents would accept any statement from the Dept/School anyway and (b) people would work down the list of the allegations and find the most sensational one that hasn’t been specifically refuted yet and take that as “fact”.

I find the Daily Mail article keeping Alfie’s mother’s name anonymous rather weird when Fenella Carter is claiming on Facebook that it is her son https://www.manxforums.com/forums/index.php?/topic/61940-interesting/