Primary school teacher 'sacked after refusing to use 8-year old's preferred pronouns'
Primary school teacher 'sacked after refusing to use 8-year old's preferred pronouns'
Follow @KnightsTempOrgA primary school teacher was ostensibly sacked after refusing to use an 8-year-old’s preferred pronouns.
A school run by Nottinghamshire County Council helped a girl transition into a boy two years ago, and demanded that all staff called the child by their preferred male name and pronouns.
The Christian teacher, who hasn’t been named to protect the child, also claimed that the youngster was also allowed to use male changing rooms and toilets by the school during their transition period.
This became a point of concern for the teacher, who shared her worries about the child’s well-being with the school to coincide with its whistleblowing policy.
But the anonymous teacher’s concerns were claimed to have been overlooked by the school who sent a letter informing her that the child would be removed from her class, “to safeguard him from any potential harm”.
An employment tribunal heard she was then warned by the school that her “personal beliefs could be a direct breach of GDPR and an act of direct discrimination,” if they were acted on.
She added that she was also later suspended, and put under disciplinary investigation for an alleged “ongoing refusal to follow a management instruction”.
However, she was reinstated when she agreed to comply with the school’s demands to avoid unnecessary contact with the child. If they did have to communicate, the teacher promised to not call the child by a name or any gender-specific pronouns.
The teacher subsequently decided to use scientific evidence to explain to the local authority and school governors that encouraging kids to socially transition comes with significant health and welfare risks.
She claims that when she shared information about the child with her lawyers to prepare for a judicial review claim against the school and the council, the educational establishment sacked her for gross misconduct.
The school also reported her to the Teacher Regulation Agency for an alleged confidentiality breach, which could see her banned from the profession permanently.
And the teacher, who now works in a sandwich shop, has opened legal proceedings against the school who she accused of “bullying.”
She told The Telegraph: “Teachers are being bullied not to question trans-affirming policies when evidence shows that the actual result of the approach is to put the welfare of children at serious risk.”
The teacher’s case is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre, and the group’s CEO Andrea Williams stressed: “This story exposes the confusion and untruths being embedded in primary schools which are developing into a public health crisis.
“The Department for Education must look closely at this case and take appropriate action to protect teachers, who often hold Christian beliefs on these issues, from being hounded out of the profession for opposing or even questioning transgender ideology.”
The Department of Education refused to speak on the case with a spokesman saying: “We do not comment on individual cases.
“The Education Secretary is working closely with the Minister for Women and Equalities to provide guidance for schools in this area, based on the overriding principle of the wellbeing and safeguarding of children.