A British couple took their son out of school after he faced disciplinary action for accidentally referring to his 6-year-old classmate as a boy, when this classmate had asked to be called a girl.
The parents, Nigel and Sally Rowe, said their son was confused as to why one of his male peers was dressing as a girl, and had gotten in trouble for asking questions to try and understand. While the Rowes claimed that school officials should have consulted all parents before allowing a child to visibly embrace another gender, the school told the parents that “if a child wants to do that then we just have to accept it,” according to BBC news.
“Church of England schools are inclusive environments where pupils learn to respect diversity of all kinds,” said Jeff Williams, the director of education for the school’s Diocese. “Among other things, this requires schools to accept the wishes of children and their families with regard to gender identity. It would be unlawful for any of our schools to do otherwise.”
The couple took their other son out of school two years earlier in a similar case when he was accused of and punished for mis-gendering a student simply because he asked questions about the student’s transition.
“I am shocked by the suggestion, especially from a church school, that just because we question the notion that a six-year-old boy can really become a girl, we are transphobic,” the Rowes told the Times. “We believe it is wrong to encourage very young children to embrace transgenderism. Boys are boys and girls are girls. Gender dysphoria is something we as Christians need to address with love and compassion, but not in the sphere of a primary school environment.”
The parents insisted that the school’s failure to intervene showed a lack of respect for what could turn into serious long-term ramifications for both the transitioning students and those confused by the changes expressed by their fellow peers.
The two boys, ages 6 and 8, will be homeschooled by their parents.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.