Schools and colleges in the United Kingdom have been informed they will not be required to use ‘preferred pronouns’ after the publication of draft guidelines from the Department of Education.
The document, which was expected before the summer holidays but was delayed, says that there is “no general duty” to facilitate students in changing their gender identity.
Primary school students “should not have different pronouns to their sex-based pronouns used about them.” it says.
Setting out guidelines for older children the paper states that, “schools do not need to specify pronouns to be used about each pupil and can decline a request to change a child’s pronouns,’
Teachers are also free to continue addressing students by saying ‘boys and girls’.
The document states that, “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,”
Parents “should not be excluded from decisions taken by a school or college relating to requests for a child to ‘socially transition’” it says, noting that schools and colleges have “specific legal duties that are framed by a child’s biological sex.” it says.
Pointing to the Cass review the paper says it is clear “that social transition is not a neutral act, and that better information is needed about the outcomes for children who undertake degrees of social transition.”
It also notes that gender identity is “a contested belief” and that many do not feel they “have a gender identity at all.”
The document also says that for safeguarding reasons teachers cannot promise to keep details a child discloses to them about gender questioning from parents.
“It is important that the views of the child’s parents should carry great weight and be properly considered.” it said adding that parental consent should be “required in the vast majority of cases”.
The document continues pointing out that the impacts on other pupils should be taken into account “including any safeguarding concerns,”
The document also says that for safeguarding reasons teachers cannot promise to keep details a child discloses to them about gender questioning from parents.
“It is important that the views of the child’s parents should carry great weight and be properly considered.” it said adding that parental consent should be “required in the vast majority of cases”.