Townhall has reported how many states have enacted legislation aimed at protecting women’s sports from so-called “transgender athletes” and to protect parents’ rights. This came after it was revealed that school districts were helping students transition genders behind their parents’ backs and as women lost awards and opportunities to males. Now, one country has drafted “transgender” guidance for schools that protect parental rights and women’s spaces.
This week, a draft document released by England’s Department of Education stated that teachers do not have to address their students by “preferred pronouns,” according to multiple reports
And, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden told schools that “transgender children” should be treated with “appropriate skepticism.”
Sky News noted that the document emphasizes that schools and colleges do not have to, and should not, accept all requests from students who want to “social transition.” This occurs when a student requests to go by a chosen name, preferred pronouns and wear a school uniform that aligns with their gender identity instead of their biological sex.
"Proper use of this guidance means social transition, in practice, should be extremely rare when the appropriate safeguards are put in place and the child's best interest taken into account," the draft reportedly states. It adds that if a school considers a request, the parents must be kept in the loop (via Sky News):
Other main points from the draft guidance include:
• Schools should make sure competitive sport is fair for all students, which will almost always mean separate sports for boys and girls;
• Schools must provide sex-separated toilets for students aged eight and over and suitable changing accommodation and showers for pupils aged 11 and over;
• Single-sex schools can refuse to admit pupils of the opposite biological sex, regardless of whether they are questioning their gender;
• A gender questioning child should wear the same uniform standard as other children of their sex;
• Sleeping arrangements like dormitories, tents and shared rooms should be sex separated.
In an interview with the outlet, Dowden said that he hoped draft guidance on transgender issues in schools would come “imminently.”
“At the heart of this we need to rebalance our approach and make sure that parents are put at the heart of our approach,” he said.
According to The Telegraph, the government had promised transgender guidance for schools since 2018.
“Schools are responsible for the management of their own staff, and we expect them to follow Government guidance to meet their responsibilities to children,” a Department of Education spokesperson told the outlet. “The upcoming guidance will help safeguard pupils and crucially ensure that parents are involved in decisions relating to their child, as the case review has made clear that any degree of social transition could have significant consequences for children.”