School chaplain cleared after questioning LGBT+ policies

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), which regulates who is allowed to work with children, has just confirmed that it will not take action against a Christian school chaplain who was sacked in 2019.

Rev Bernard Randall was dismissed for gross misconduct after encouraging children at Trent College in Derbyshire to question the school's LGBT+ rules. He said it was acceptable for them to hold traditional views on marriage, sex and gender identity.

The school identifies as one that’s independent but had a Church of England ethos.

The school referred Rev Randall to Prevent (the government’s anti-terrorist watchdog), the Teaching Regulation Agency, the local safeguarding officer and the DBS.

All have said that no action needs to be taken against Rev Randall, with the latest being the DBS.

In a letter this week to Rev Randall, the DBS said: “After consideration of your representations, we have decided it would not be appropriate to include your name on the Children’s Barred List.”

Responding to the news that he has been cleared by the DBS, Rev Randall said: “I am obviously relieved that another malicious referral has been thrown out.”

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