Pupils demanded the teacher ‘acknowledge’ their pronouns
A teacher says she has been left “humiliated” after she was told to apologise to her class at a private girls’ school for saying “good afternoon girls.”
Her pupils complained because not everyone in the class identified as female, with one pupil challenging the teacher to “acknowledge” their pronouns.
The day after she said “good afternoon girls” at the start of the lesson, the pupils wrote all their names and pronouns on the board, with one of the children using they/them pronouns.
But the teacher refused to acknowledge their requests, saying that she would need to involve parents if a student’s preferred pronouns differed from their biological sex.
This prompted the class to hold a lunchtime protest, the MailOnline reports.
The philosophy and religious studies teacher has since said she believes she was “managed out” by senior staff at the school, which is part of the independent Girls’ Day School Trust.
The teacher, who has requested anonymity to protect the pupils, was giving evidence last week as part of an ongoing review into child and adolescent gender dysphoria care, led by paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass.
She said problems began in May 2021 after some Year 7 students complained when she greeted the class with ‘good afternoon, girls.’
She sought guidance from the head of year about what to do if a pupil had gender dysphoria, the term for when someone feels a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity.
But her senior apparently told her she wasn’t aware of the term or whether any communications had been had with parents on the issue.
When students held a lunchtime protest, the teachers believed senior staff sided with them instead of her.
“I was told that they made placards with slogans on such as ‘Trans lives matter’,” she said.
“Before the end of the week I was in some sort of disciplinary process and the head of year was telling me I had to apologise to the girls.”
The teacher then described how she was accompanied by the head of year, who addressed the pupils while she stood to one side.
She said: “She spoke to the children on my behalf saying no one here would want to hurt you and you’re all really loved by us.
“She then worded the apology in terms of, ‘I am sorry you’re upset and we didn’t mean to offend. I’m sorry you felt bad.’ But it was all pretty humiliating and embarrassing.”
The teacher said the problems started less than a week after the sixth form’s ‘diversity and inclusion’ prefects delivered an assembly on gender and pronouns.
During the session, students showed a video discussing gender identities and sex being assigned at birth.
The tutor believes that as a result of her refusal to give in to her students’ gender demands she was “managed out.”
She said the head teacher at the school rejected her application to remain after her one-term contract came to an end.
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