Draft guidance released by the British government this week advises schools against allowing gender-confused children to socially transition and and directs schools not to exclude parents from decisions about a child’s gender identity.
It would also restrict opposite-sex access to bathrooms and intimate spaces.
In the 200-page document titled “keeping children safe in education,” the United Kingdom’s Department for Education directs schools to consult parents as a matter of priority and, in the “vast majority of cases,” work with them to determine the best course of action for gender-confused children. The guidance also states that schools should “very rarely” support a child’s social transition — which is the act of treating a child as if they are the opposite sex by using their “preferred” name and pronouns.
“Schools and colleges have a statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children,” the guidance reads. “They should consider how best to fulfil that duty towards a child who is questioning their gender, as well as their peers, ensuring that any agreed course of action takes account of the impact on all of those affected.”
