A hearing is taking place this week into the case of a Christian teacher who claims she was unfairly dismissed after raising safeguarding concerns about the school’s affirming policy towards a transitioning child in her class.
The teacher, who is going by the pseudonym of ‘Hannah’ due to court-imposed reporting restrictions, says she was told by the school that she must address the child by their new name and pronouns, and that they were to be allowed to use the toilets and changing rooms of the opposite sex.
Hannah objected to the policy, arguing that it puts children at risk, but says her concerns were ignored. She then sought a judicial review to challenge the school’s policy and was dismissed after sharing information about the case with her lawyers that the school argued was confidential.
She is suing Nottinghamshire County Council, which runs the school, for victimisation for whistleblowing, unfair dismissal and discrimination on the grounds of her Christian beliefs. Lawyers for Hannah are also petitioning the tribunal to lift reporting restrictions on her identity.
The case was supposed to be heard last year but the hearing collapsed after it was discovered that a panel member had made anti-Christian comments online, leading to a formal rebuke and his removal from the panel. The new hearing gets underway on Tuesday at Nottingham Justice Centre.
Speaking ahead of the hearing, Hannah said, “Teachers are being bullied not to question trans affirming policies but evidence shows they put the welfare of children at serious risk.
“I was informed by my conscience as a Christian to live right before my God and also by the body evidence I had researched which informed me clearly that social transitioning young children is harmful.
“I am determined to pursue justice over how I have been treated because my number one concern and motivation is to protect this child and other children in this country from harm.”
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “Hannah’s story exposes the confusion and untruths that have been embedded in primary schools over human sexuality and identity. This has developed into an education crisis which needs to be stopped.
“Society has lost its moral compass. How did we ever decide that it would be helpful for young children to be taught that they might be born in the wrong body? How is it helpful for distressed children to encourage them down a path of ‘changing gender’ with all the associated social and medical intervention?
“Schools and teachers are terrified of being accused of being ‘transphobic’ and even reported to regulators as a safeguarding risk, a danger to children or even as a criminal. At the Christian Legal Centre we are seeing this happen. It needs to stop.
“For years, parents and teachers who have raised safeguarding concerns over these issues have been ignored and disbelieved despite clear expert evidence demonstrating the harm trans affirmation causes.
“This is an untenable situation, and we now hope and pray for an impartial panel to rule on this case.”
