Tories say they’ll review school trans guidelines

Submitted by AWL on 25 October, 2022 - 11:26 Author: David Pendletone
School children

A case brought by parents of a child on the Isle of Wight is now said to have “prompted the government to revise its gender-related guidance for children”.

The case goes back to 2017. Nigel and Sally Rowe, who are described as “Christian parents” (presumably self-defining), took legal action against the government for failing to intervene against school policy, and the government eventually conceded the case.

Mr Rowe is reported as saying: “To cut a long story short, in the school, when our boys were six years of age, in the classroom one of their friends decided to transition from being a boy to a girl. It was just announced to the kids. And therefore, when we heard, we objected to that.” The Rowes withdrew their children for home-schooling.

This particular slice of transphobia is cloaked by a claim that the Rowes and their six year old son were accused of being transphobic. In fact the very reasonable letter from the school, which is available online, says no such thing. It simply outlines the school’s legal and, in their eyes, Christian, responsibility to protect the child who wanted to transition.

Children should be able to define their gender (or lack of gender) and how they want to be considered. They should be treated with respect by their peers and the school. Schools should protect children and allow them the space to develop as they want to.

Schools must be a safe space for all, away from the pressures of bigoted communities and parents. It is unclear whether the government is revising its guidance, and if so how. This is just another case of nasty transphobia. The left and the labour movement should call it out as such.

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