Scottish Government needs to be 'very careful' about endorsing trans school guidance

The Christian Institute has called for caution after reports that the Scottish Government is planning to endorse new transgender guidance for schools. 

The new, non-statutory guidance is from LGBT Youth Scotland and is an updated version of a document originally published by the charity in 2017 called 'Supporting Transgender Young People'.

The Scottish Government endorsed the 2017 document before withdrawing its support after its content was challenged, namely its recommendation that schools take an affirmative approach towards children questioning their gender and advice telling them that they do not need to inform parents.

The Christian Institute was among the organisations that warned against the original guidance, which it described as "misleading and misguided".

The Sunday Times recently reported that the Scottish Government appears set to endorse the revised guidance.

The newspaper quotes a leaked transcript of a recent LGBT Youth Scotland event at which a staffer said that the updated document "is soon to be Scottish Government guidance". 

The Christian Institute's Simon Calvert said that any guidance should strike a balance between competing rights.

"The Scottish government has got this wrong before. They are going to have to be very careful not to get it wrong again," he said. 

"Parents have rights. Teachers have rights. And non-trans pupils have rights. All these rights have to be balanced."

News
Faith is increasingly about personal experience and authenticity, report suggests
Faith is increasingly about personal experience and authenticity, report suggests

Faith is "becoming an increasingly individualised and self-directed journey" among young people, research has found.

Christians back MSP's efforts to ban prostitution in Scotland
Christians back MSP's efforts to ban prostitution in Scotland

The SNP has been slow to act on the issue.

Moves to make RE part of the National Curriculum welcomed
Moves to make RE part of the National Curriculum welcomed

Scrapping the English Baccalaureate has also been welcomed by the Church of England and the worlds of theatre, art and music.

Verdict due in 'conversion therapy' case against ex-gay Christian
Verdict due in 'conversion therapy' case against ex-gay Christian

An EU official declared it should be illegal to say a person has left homosexuality.