Schools in England must be involved “properly” in developing new transgender guidance that needs to work alongside their existing safeguarding duties, the UK’s largest education union has warned.
As the government prepares to publish its first draft of the long-awaited guidance, the National Education Union (NEU) said many LGBTQ+ young people still found school a negative experience.
“The guidance promised by [the education secretary] Gillian Keegan has been heralded for months, but is still yet to be seen,” an NEU spokesperson said. “When it is finally published, the government has said that it will be non-statutory, in draft form, and out for consultation for nine weeks.
“We hope the Department for Education [DfE], school leaders and unions can all work together constructively so that all LGBT+ young people have a good experience at school. Schools need to be involved properly in developing guidance that is clear and helpful and can work successfully along their safeguarding duties.
One teacher, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Guardian the long-running debate around the guidance, and the non-stop media reporting of what it might – or might not – contain, had only increased transphobic bullying in her school.
According to reports this week, under the new guidance teachers will not be made to automatically “out” pupils who come to them with general questions over gender identity. Schools will, however, be expected to inform parents if children tell staff that they want to take any steps towards transitioning.
