Teachers have no right to ignore parents

Teachers do not have the right to “indulge children about their gender identity”, a Peer has said.

In a House of Lords debate, Baroness Seccombe criticised the “system where teachers think that they have the right to ignore parents” when it comes to such “very personal” matters.

In response, Education Minister Baroness Barran accepted that it was critical to maintain the confidence and trust between schools and parents, “particularly in these very sensitive areas”.

Review of guidance

The Minister said, “schools should make the curriculum content and materials available to parents”.

She said the Prime Minister made it “absolutely clear” that schools should “not be teaching inappropriate or contested content in this area”.

Last week, the PM announced a review of sex ed material and pledged new guidance for schools on dealing with transgender ideology for the summer.

Protect women’s sport

Lady Seccombe also expressed her “fear for the future of women’s sport”, saying: “It is ridiculous and unfair to allow trans women to enter the same race as a woman who is biologically female.

“I believe that a woman’s physical strength can never equal that of a male person at birth despite the reduction of testosterone in their bodies.”

Recently, World Athletics announced that from the end of March, no transgender athlete will be able to participate alongside members of the opposite sex if they experienced male puberty.

President Lord Sebastian Coe said the decision was “guided by the overarching principle which is to protect the female category”, but said the athletics’ governing body would continue to work on transgender eligibility guidelines.