A group of British parents whose children changed gender have announced plans to sue the Department for Education for not protecting their children from trans ideology in schools.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, the parents are accusing Ministers of failing to issue guidance to teachers and allowing “damaging” gender ideology to be pushed by LBGT lobbying groups in schools.
It is alleged that some teachers did not alert parents when their children decided to switch gender, while others were accused of encouraging gender transition, despite, it is claimed, that NHS psychologists warned against it.
The case is being brought by equality and human rights barrister Dr Anna Loutfi. Dr Loutfi told the Mail on Sunday that the parents are bringing a claim of negligence against the Department of Education (DOE).
“The parents wish to bring a joint claim in negligence against the Department for Education for a failure to act on the foreseeable harms caused to children by gender ideology,” she said.
It is claimed that the Department of Education recommended materials from controversial groups including charity Stonewall who have been accused of misrepresenting the law when advising schools on the issue of gender.
The Mail reports that claimants in the case, brought by The Bad Law Project, include a mother whose 16-year-old daughter with autism who was “encouraged” to change gender without her consent by her private school – allegedly ignoring gender psychologists from the NHS who cautioned against social transitioning.
The parents of another teenager, a boy, claim that his school “hid” his gender transition until teachers informed him they would address him by a girl’s name. The parents say he has since suffered psychologically.
The mother of another teenage boy, aged 16, claims his college also ignored the advice of NHS psychotherapists who said he should not be permitted to transition to female.
She says that she was told by a tutor at the college he attended – when she raised concerns – that the college “did not need to work with her” because at 16 years old, her son was an adult.
“The college ignores emails with regard to safeguarding my child. The college have shown zero accountability. The DfE needs to act now,” she said.
UK Education Secretary Gillian Keegan and Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch are in the process of writing guidelines that are anticipated to tell schools that they have a duty to inform parents if pupils seek to change gender, start being referred to as a different name, or wear a new uniform.
The Department for Education said that such guidance “will clarify schools’ legal position and the importance of involving parents.”
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