Trans students could be banned from single-sex schools, new guidance suggests
“Single-sex schools can refuse to admit pupils of the other legal sex”.
Under new educational guidelines, single-sex schools will be allowed to refuse transgender pupils.
The new guidance reportedly planned by by Rishi Sunak’s government will allow these schools to not accommodate trans students.
Schools will be protected in rejecting a trans girl from joining an all-girls school or a trans boy from joining an all-boys school.
A Department for Education source told The Telegraph: “Single-sex schools can refuse to admit pupils of the other legal sex”.
This will be “regardless of whether the child is questioning their gender.”
Philip Reed, a lawyer at Withersworldwide, told the newspaper it “would be impossible to rule out” a legal case under existing guidelines if a school refused to admit a trans-identified pupil “given the current lack of clarity.”
The guidance is seemingly being drawn up by education secretary Gillian Keegan and equalities minister Kemi Badenoch. This guidance is reportedly set to be published this summer.
Headteachers will also be protected from legal action if they reject demands by pupils who are socially transitioning.
“Single-sex schools can refuse to admit pupils of the other legal sex”
The report will also include guidance on telling parents if a child is questioning their gender.
Last month, the National Education Union hit out at the UK government for not providing inclusive education for LGBTQ+ students.
Furthermore, in what could be a worrying precedent in an already turbulent climate for trans people in the UK, The Independent reports that Sunak’s government is “considering official advice that says changing the definition of sex in law would create greater ‘clarity’ around women-only spaces.”