Schools must not proactively tell children they might have been born the WRONG gender, new rules will say
New guidance is expected to say that teachers must not proactively tell children they may have been born into the wrong gender.
It comes after new rules for schools on “gender ideology” received backlash.
The new relationships, sex and health education guidance – to be released within weeks – is believed to state that teachers should avoid the subject unless directly asked by a pupil and they must stress it is a “contested” belief, The Sun reports.
Secretary of State for Education, Gillian Keegan previously ordered teachers to share all classroom material with parents “no ifs, no buts, no more excuses”.
Draft UK government guidance for schools released in December urged teachers not to accept all requests for children to “socially transition”.
It added that any decision to switch gender should involve their parents.
Rishi Sunak’s spokesman said: “Social transitioning is not a neutral act, and no one should be forced to use preferred pronouns or accept contested beliefs as fact.”
An independent probe into the impacts of allowing children to change gender is set to be released on Wednesday.
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The Cass review is expected to warn of “psychological” impacts following an analysis of gender identity services for children.
In 2020, the review was launched by Hilary Cass, a former president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
The final report has vowed to look at the “important role of schools” and the issues facing them in relation to “gender-questioning” students.
It is expected to say that prepubescent children should not be put on the same “pathway” as older adolescents who wish to change gender.
The Department for Education (DfE) is likely to reflect the review’s findings in its guidance on how teachers should deal with transgender children.
A department for education spokesperson added: “We are currently reviewing the RSHE curriculum, and we will launch a consultation on the updated guidance as soon as possible.
“We have been repeatedly clear that contested views should not be taught as fact, and that we will put in place clear safeguards to stop pupils from being taught concepts they are too young to understand.”