A deft touch at IfL may end spat with UCU
Its new transgender president hopes to act as a peacemaker
Being president of the Institute for Learning (IfL) is not a job for the faint hearted. The professional body for FE lecturers has been involved in a bitter dispute with the University and College Union (UCU) over controversial plans to increase its membership fee. It will also soon be subjected to intense scrutiny in a Government review of workforce professionalism in the sector.
But one suspects it's going to take a lot more than that to get under the skin of Beatrix Groves. She is the first woman to take up the reins as president of the institution, an impressive feat in its own right. But that doesn't even begin to tell the story of her remarkable journey. Ms Groves was born a man.
After 52 years plagued by episodes of intense depression and confusion, in 2008 she told her family and friends the truth. She also told her employer, North Tyneside Adult Learning Alliance - where she works as an adult education tutor - that from the following September she would no longer be teaching as Robert Groves. When she returned to the classroom, she was to be known as Beatrix.
Just two years later, she has been elected to arguably the most high-profile public position ever held by a transgender person in the UK.
"It's very important for me that I am seen as a teacher like everybody else," she said. "I don't ever keep it a secret; I'm very 'out'. It's part and parcel of being me. When I came out, I told colleges that my life is an open book. I can't get blackmailed that way.
"The media treats trans people as weird, odd or a joke. I am not. I take my role seriously. I am a step forward for trans people across Britain. They can see that it doesn't matter where they come from; they can rise."
Most of the students Ms Groves teaches at Wallsend People's Centre are middle-aged men. Many are unemployed; many of them were unlikely to have come across an openly transgender woman before.
But to her surprise, coming out did not affect class numbers. "I teach computer repair, a very macho subject," she said. "I thought the students would find me very difficult to take. But they were really supportive, and very, very eager to make sure I was protected, almost paternal towards me.
"They realised I was someone willing to answer their questions, and be open. It's proved to be an enormous asset. That attitude has helped to keep me respected within the profession."
Just as heartening was the understanding showed by her employers, which Ms Groves describes as "wonderful". But while she is grateful for the support she has received from the FE community, she perceives a lack of diversity as one of the biggest challenges facing the sector.
"One big criticism I have is that there are not enough black and ethnic-minority tutors and lecturers, and tutors with disabilities. We need to have more positive role models on an equal basis to everybody else. My role as president gives me an opportunity to raise these sorts of issues regularly."
The IfL has been involved in a bitter war of words with the UCU, which represents FE lecturers and tutors. Plans to introduce an increased membership fee for the IfL were mooted in the light of government funding cuts, prompting a furious backlash.
Legal action against the IfL seemed on the cards until a review of the workforce's role and status was announced by skills minister John Hayes to ward off an ugly confrontation.
Ms Groves has a keener interest than most to see the issue resolved: she is also a paid-up UCU member. "My role is very much about peacemaking," she said. "The two institutions do not have different roles, as far as I am concerned. They are mutually supportive and important."
While admitting it is regarded by many as "the most boring subject on earth", another priority for her time in office is to campaign for better continuous professional development for lecturers and tutors.
Ms Groves' final ambition is to boost the role of the humanities at FE colleges, which she believes are too often seen only in terms of vocational qualifications.
Against the overwhelming rhetoric about the need for technical training to be made a priority for the UK, she faces a challenge to convince college principals to bring back feminism and phenomenology.
But one suspects that if anyone can build a bridge across the sector, it is Ms Groves.
Beatrix Groves CV
Born in 1955
Education
1997 BA (Hons) in post-compulsory education, Sunderland University
Employment
1984-present Tutor, North Tyneside Adult Learning Alliance
1986-2006 Lecturer, Tyne Metropolitan College
1990-1998 Sessional worker, Barnardo's
1992-2011 Lecturer, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Open universities
Voluntary roles
2011-present President, Institute for Learning
1995-present Founder and general secretary, Association of Part-Time Tutors
1980-present Curriculum leader, Workers Educational Association (Northern District).
Comment (11)
In the early 90s one of my university lecturers was a woman who used to be a man and so are a number of students I've taught. Personally I don't find this issue big news. An individual can be who they want to be. It's not for others to judge, but to treat the same as anybody else. I wish Bea all the best in her new role.
The fact still remains that I don't care who is CEO, President or Chair of IfL, I see no value in being a member and will not pay to fund such a useless organisation. They do next to nothing for the sector and when they do get included in something, eg worldskills, they milk it for all it's worth. On the note of worldskills, the deputy CEO made a video which boasted about IfL members being dual professionals and people who came from industry. Does that mean I don't need to be a member because i'm an academic who didn't come from industry?? I gained the appropriate qualifications years ago, in the form of QTS, and have no need, nor desire, to gain the rubber stamp of QTLS.
I hope the Government review is thorough and totally unbiased. This will show the IfL for what it is. There are around 125000 ex members out there who would be more than happy to give their view, as opposed to the 80000 who are members, of which a significant number joined under duress.
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14:42
14 October, 2011
kernow_lecturer
Exactly how does Beatrix Grove intend to 'heal the rift'? And in what possible way could someones gender have any bearing on the issues?
A patronising non-story.
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7:06
15 October, 2011
shirtandtie
'If IFL does not get dumped out of the window of history (and I need to add that I used to be sympathetic to it at one point), then there is only one answer to its direction, existence and purpose: democratisation. It truly needs a new constitution, one in which the members are in the driving seat (and in which membership is voluntary). Does anyone remember that old saw "No taxation without representation"? Well, if I'm going to pay fees to something called IFL (or whatever), then I indubitably want to make sure that my fee gets me some measure of recognisable democracy (and I don't just mean 'advisory' either).
Apparently written by Bea Groves on 18th July...
When will my voice be heard Bea? Why haven't ordinary members been allowed to attend and vote at the AGM you mention on your blog? Are all members equal, but some more equal than others? Fingers crossed the government sees sense and sends the IFL the same way as they did the GTC(E).
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22:11
15 October, 2011
bluerosiep
There will be no peace while the IFL is mandatory. I pay my UCU subs because I want to be part of that organisation. The IFL is a lawful/unlawful tax on teaching. It gives us nothing for our money.
Give back all the money hoarded in the IFL bank account to FE colleges now!
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16:22
17 October, 2011
Daylillie100
shirtandtie
Well said. This story had no need to mention gender; the TES is no better than the Daily Mail who spent the last two weeks trying to 'out' Fox as gay when they should have been pointing out that there are more important things than who Mr Werritty sleeps with or if he was giving out business cards saying he was an adviser to Dr Fox. These silly side-issues are the least scandal in all the Fox-affair; I want questions answered about:
1. Fox’s connections to right-wing groups in the US (not to mention Israel) & their influence on the UK government policy.
2. The money Fox & his friends have made & that he will no-doubt get when he steps down from being an MP by using HIS influence on defence contractors.
3. How many illegal & undeclared advisors were there like Mr Werritty for Tory MP’s at the last election?
4. Why Mr Hague dismissed as ‘fanciful’ the idea that Mr Werritty could have been running a shadow foreign policy outside the control of government?
5. How much big-money like News International, City Firms etc have put into the Tory Party to effectively ‘buy-it’?
6. Why Cameron let this run? How much is he involved in all this big-money activity?
If I understand this correctly Venture capitalist Jon Moulton (who funded Fox!) is encouraged by Fox to put £60 million in a defence firm (knowing Fox is going to be in cxharge of defence!)while also donating to Pargav (employers of Fox’s lover, sorry flat-mate, Mr Werritty). This stinks! Who cares if Fox is gay or not.
And who cares if Ms Groves was born a man? The TES should be above rubbish journalism like this.
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19:15
17 October, 2011
Brooke Bond
Cornish Lecturer: "On the note of worldskills, the deputy CEO made a video which boasted about IfL members being dual professionals and people who came from industry. "
Yes, your disdain for the majority of FE teachers and their craft backgrounds is well known.
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19:15
20 October, 2011
teachered
I, for one, celebrate the fact that someone who is transgender can rise to and be accepted in high office. I think it is rather crass to call this a non-story, non-story only in the minds of the bogots and the prejudiced who do not want to see or read about transgender people being successful. Shameful.
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19:17
20 October, 2011
teachered
Bogots? The mind biggles!!
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19:18
20 October, 2011
teachered
Teachered, what planet are you on??
I have never shown disdain for FE lecturers and their craft and I challenge you to provide proof. For your information I am also a qualified design draughtsman from the nuclear industry, but this has no bearing on my entry to teaching.
The point being made by a number of people here is that Bea Grove's being a woman does not affect the feeling that the IfL is a waste of time, space and money.
Why don't you just crawl back under your rock.......
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20:19
20 October, 2011
kernow_lecturer
Oh, and furthermore teacher(dick)ed, my first profession was off the back of a four year apprenticeship, so I think you'll find I'm a strong advocate of quality apprenticeships. My objection is to an organisation which is trying to gain credibility by riding on the back of hard working youngsters because it has nothing else to offer. Besides the publication in the Deputy CEOs mate's FE News how else did the IfL bring this to the attention of the masses?? At best it might have got a mention in a blog.
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21:19
20 October, 2011
kernow_lecturer
This is actually a really interesting article, and one which demonstrates the richness of the adult education sector - however - the meat of the article has been ignored, and another narrative has been shoehorned into the fray to bring in the 'bitter dispute' between IfL and UCU (well, actually it's a biter dispute between IfL and a large number of it's ex-members - some of whom happen to be UCU members and are using their membership of that to exercise their collective power against the IfL) - it's really not that interesting to add this to Bea's story - let's wait and see what happens, and what action she takes before we make comments on that - then it might be interesting.
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21:00
21 October, 2011
Cheerfulsoul