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Published December 20, 2023, 7:54 PM ET
Schools in the UK are not required to use students' preferred pronouns and must inform the parents of a student who wishes to change their gender under the new guidelines.
The parent-focused approach to gender reassignment, if approved, will take “a very cautious approach” to key decisions regarding students’ gender and health.
“Parents’ views must also be at the heart of all decisions about their children,” Education Minister Gillian Keegan said, according to the BBC.
In situations where the child could be at risk if a parent is informed, schools can bypass parental consent, according to the document.
The guidelines also say schools have no “general duty” to provide students with “social transition,” meaning educators will not be pressured to use different pronouns.
Instead, they are urged to exercise caution, including “vigilant waiting periods and ensuring that parents are fully consulted before a decision is made.”
Schools in England must follow new guidelines, including informing parents if their children decide to have a gender change. Drazen – stock.adobe.com
In addition, toilets and locker rooms, as well as some sports, are separated by birth gender.
“Schools must always protect single-sex spaces in relation to toilets, showers and changing rooms,” the document says.
“Responding to a request to support any social transition must not include granting access to these spaces. As a standard, all children should use the toilets, showers and changing rooms appropriate to their biological gender, unless this would cause them distress.”
Schools can offer gender-neutral options for restrooms, but it must be a single stall that can be “secured from the inside.”
As far as single-sex schools are concerned, institutions have the right to refuse admission to anyone who raises questions about gender.
The new guidelines, introduced by Education Minister Gillian Keegan (left) and Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch, will now undergo a 12-week public consultation before being finalized. Getty Images
Additionally, educators are advised not to adopt new names or pronouns until “agreed by the school or college in accordance with proper procedures and, in the vast majority of cases, with parental consent.”
Schools must also record each student's name and biological gender on official documents.
According to the BBC, the new guidelines, introduced by Keegan and Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch, will now undergo a 12-week public consultation before being finalized.
Significant legal risks have already been warned, with school leaders concerned that adhering to the strict guidelines could lead to legal action.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, says it is “vital” that schools “have reassurance that the guidance they follow does not put them at risk of legal action,” The Guardian reported.
However, a government spokesman said the guidelines were “lawful” and would “help schools manage these complex and sensitive issues by urging caution, parental involvement and prioritizing protective measures at all times,” they told The Guardian.
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