U.K. schools are facing scrutiny after a wave of children have begun identifying as non-human animals and objects, and are allowed to do so as an extension of transgender ideology.
Rye College, the British equivalent of an American high school, made headlines after one of its teachers was caught condemning students for stating biological fact. A teacher was caught on audio reprimanding students after they told their classmate: "How can you identify as a cat when you’re a girl?" The teacher scolded them for "questioning [the child’s] identity, and declared they need to be re-educated in terms of "equality, diversity and inclusion." The teacher also called a student "despicable" for saying that "if you have a vagina you’re a girl and if you have a penis you’re a boy."
Rye College is not the only U.K. school that appears to be enabling unusual identifications in the name of inclusivity.
"Students in schools across Britain have been allowed to identify as dinosaurs, horses and moons, amid warnings that teachers should address such incidents as a safeguarding issue," The Telegraph reported.
While many students at U.K. schools are expected to follow strict requirements for uniforms, it appears that students who engage with this new variant of trans ideology are allowed to flaunt these rules to express their identity.
"The Telegraph also spoke to a pupil at a school where one student, who identifies as ‘moonself,’ wears a cloak to school, described by a fellow pupil as ‘like a Harry Potter wizard cape,’" The Telegraph wrote. "The child in question did not identify as the Moon, but as a moon, and said they could put curses on people."
The paper noted that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government is working to address the rise of these "neo genders."
A spokesman from Sunak’s government declared that while they still don’t know the "full details," of what is happening in U.K. schools, "we understand why these reports will be concerning for parents."
The spokesman added further that "teachers have a responsibility to encourage their students to engage respectfully with those they disagree with" and that "They should also not be teaching contested opinions as fact, shutting down valid discussions and debates."
The government spokesman also proclaimed that teachers who force their personal views on students are ultimately overstepping their responsibilities.
"It’s important parents and carers are reassured that children aren’t being influenced by personal views of those teaching them. Any example that strays from this would be wrong and we would expect headteachers to act."
The Telegraph quoted Tracy Shaw, of the grassroots Safe Schools Alliance, who warned that teachers, regardless of ideology, are afraid of correcting students on matters of identity.
"The problem is that teachers have a blind spot where anything involving identity comes in, because they are frightened of doing the wrong thing," she said. "They think they are being kind by affirming these behaviours, but they are not being kind, because they are likely to be missing all sorts of things that are going on in that child’s life."
As schools have begun "socially transitioning" students without their parents' knowledge, Sunak has addressed the problem with direct government policy.
"The wellbeing and safety of children is my top priority," Sunak told The Sun this weekend. "We have to recognize that any degree of social transition could have potentially quite a significant impact and consequences for a child."
U.K. schools will be banned from letting students change their gender identify if their parents disagree with them, according to a new government policy slated to be published this week.
Hannah Grossman and Emma Colton contributed to this report.
