No child should be forced to affirm a classmate’s identity as a cat
This week we have seen a surreal debate about whether teachers should enforce a child’s desire to identify as a cat. Obviously, the answer to that question is absolutely not. I have been clear that doing so is totally inappropriate.
We must inject some common sense back into the classroom and society more generally. The classroom is a place where fact should be taught as fact and opinion as opinion. Children should be able to indulge their imagination in the playground, especially when they’re little, but it goes without saying that absolutely no child should be forced to affirm a classmate’s identity as an animal or inanimate object.
The case that sparked this debate is being looked into by my department’s school regional director at my request. I know from initial reports that the school has already taken swift action and is currently undertaking a formal investigation into what happened.
Ofsted is considering whether an inspection would be appropriate, however, it is already looking at how schools manage, in practice, the requirement to teach in an age-appropriate way and not to teach contested views as fact as part of our review into relationships, sex and health education.
We want to build resilient, confident children who are able to face the challenges that come at them, recognising that some people will have different beliefs and that they have an equal right to express them. That’s why it is so important that our teachers are expected to be respectful and tolerant of a range of beliefs and views.
This saga has distracted from much more serious challenges facing teachers and our children. We know that the number of children and young people questioning their gender identity and experiencing gender distress has become a growing challenge for parents, teachers, and schools.
The vast majority of teachers are doing an incredible job navigating these complex and sensitive issues. We have listened to their calls for further clarity on how to manage these issues which is why I have been working with Kemi Badenoch, the equalities minister, to bring forward guidance to specifically address how schools handle these situations. This will help teachers navigate their approach to children and young people questioning their identity.
We will be publishing the guidance for consultation before the end of the summer term. At its heart will be parents, ensuring their voices are central to decisions being made about their child in school.
It comes ahead of further guidance on relationships, sex and health education, which will put in place clear parameters around what should and should not be taught and at what age, with clear age limits. Importantly, it will restate and emphasise the point that contested views must not be taught as fact.
The events over the past week go to show why we need new guidance for our schools. I encourage parents, educators, and members of the public to respond to the consultation when we publish the guidance in the coming weeks.
