Teachers walk tightropes in face of no trans guidance

More than five years ago, the government first promised guidance for schools on transgender students.

And although the Department for Education (DfE) says it will finally be releasing new guidance for schools in England this semester, it can’t come soon enough for many.

It’s nearly impossible to find a school willing to talk about their transgender policies.

BBC News contacted school leaders across England but almost all were too keen to be interviewed on camera. They didn’t want to draw attention to their school — or students who identify as trans or non-binary.

In 2018, the government announced it would work with the human rights organization to release “comprehensive guidance for schools to support trans students.” Without them, many schools make their own decisions, such as whether to introduce gender-neutral toilets or locker rooms – and how they are used.

Some teachers told BBC News that they feared anything they did would be “not only criticized but publicly slandered” and that while schools needed clarity it was a “lost end” situation.

Others said they may need to consult an attorney over concerns they are doing the “wrong thing”.

Headmaster Kevin Sexton told BBC News that many schools wanted better guidance and advice to make decisions “in the best interest of the child”.

His Chesterfield High School, a mixed-sex comprehensive school in Crosby, Merseyside, has developed its own approach.

The school has more than 1,200 students, 10 to 20 of whom identify as transgender, non-binary, or gender biased.

There are single-sex and gender-neutral restrooms with floor-to-ceiling lockable stalls and attendant staff. And private gym locker rooms used by all trans students are available to all.

The school’s support for children questioning their gender identity has evolved over the past decade, Mr Sexton said.

“We have tried to create a school that is tolerant and inclusive,” he said.

“We’re going to work with individual kids to actually think about what they’re using and what they want to access — and it’s going to be really manageable.”

Chesterfield High has never faced a challenge from parents, but other principals have.

Using the Teacher Tapp survey tool, BBC News asked almost 7,000 teachers in England a series of questions about their experiences with transgender students.

Approximately 8% of primary school teachers reported teaching trans or non-binary students, compared to 75% in secondary school.

And just over half said they were unsure or not at all sure about the next steps if a child wants to change their name, use different pronouns, or change their appearance, hairstyle or clothing — what’s known as social transition .

When and how schools should involve parents when a child chooses to be a gender different from their birth sex – and what to do if a parent disagrees – are some of the most contentious issues the guidance is expected to address.

According to a report on gender identity services in England, social transition can have significant psychological effects – and better information is needed about its outcomes.

And last year, an NHS England consultation suggested that social transition should only be considered in certain circumstances, such as to alleviate or prevent “clinically important burdens”.

About three quarters of teachers in the Teacher Tapp survey said their school would support a child desiring social transition.

And 39% of the secondary school teachers surveyed said they would support it, regardless of parental approval.

“Anyone involved in a child’s life should work together and examine why a child feels a certain way,” says Tanya Carter of the Safe Schools Alliance, which worries about how some schools are handling gender identity .

“Teachers are not doctors. [Socially transitioning] This should only be done under medical supervision. Concerns arise when schools classify someone as the opposite sex and determine what may be a temporary stage in that child’s life.”

The organization receives multiple messages a day from parents and teachers concerned about toilets, changing rooms, sports and sleeping accommodations on school field trips becoming mixed-gender.

“We get parents who have found out that their children went through a social transition behind their backs in the schools because the schools didn’t talk to the parents,” says Miss Carter. “Schools keep secrets from parents.”

Penni Allen, who runs Chesterfield High’s health department, says the school takes parents’ views into account, but that “doesn’t mean we won’t continue to support that child.”

The school tries to de-escalate any emotions and issues with the parents and help the child understand what they are feeling.

“Some kids will come up and say they’re just exploring,” says Ms. Allen. “Others will say that they have felt this way for quite some time. Perhaps they are just at the beginning of a journey that leads nowhere.”

“It’s not about putting them on a path. We don’t put your child in a box and put a label on it that says, ‘Your child is now trans.’

“We like to think that we have a good relationship with the parents here … and hopefully we’re doing it right.”

BBC News have spoken to parents of trans children in other schools in England but, as with teachers, it is difficult to find an opinion that everyone will agree on and that everyone will speak out about publicly.

Some parents told BBC News they didn’t want decisions being made without their consent and weren’t happy with their children changing their names or pronouns.

Some felt that their children might be struggling with their sexual orientation rather than their gender identity and needed space and time to explore this before making other decisions that could potentially lead to a medical pathway such as puberty blockers.

Others, on the other hand, wanted schools to put their children’s choices first, regardless of their own involvement, and were supportive of their trans identity and social transition.

The decisions that schools make or don’t make can have a huge impact on the young people involved.

Ellie, 18, was the first student to publicly identify as non-binary at her Catholic school — an isolating and frustrating experience.

The lack of government guidance means teachers “can’t do their jobs properly,” says Ellie. And they learned “over time” when Ellie needed help.

“A lot of them just don’t know how to go about things — or they’re scared of saying the wrong thing, especially because it’s a faith school,” says Ellie.

“It’s just really important that when a student comes to them with a gender identity or sexuality issue, teachers and school staff feel like they know what they’re talking about.”

And teachers’ concerns about the media reaction and some parents could be a barrier to schools making changes that support students.

The guidelines will build on existing guidelines to protect people from discrimination.

However, to make it clear how sensitive the matter is, the Department of Education will publish a draft for consultation before the final guidance is released, which is rarely the case with non-statutory – advisory – and non-mandatory – guidance.

The issues at stake are likely to be whether same-sex schools are legally required to accept transgender students, or whether schools should inform parents if their child is questioning their gender.

It can also give advice on sleeping arrangements during stays in residential areas and how to deal with same-sex sports. However, it is not clear if the schools would receive additional funding to support them with changes.

An Education Department official said it is “important that we take the time to get this right” so that guidance on such “sensitive matters” is “as clear as possible for schools”. The guidelines would be “based on the primary principle of the welfare and protection of children and would address a range of issues”.

Every day, Teacher Tapp asks thousands of primary and secondary school teachers in the government and private sectors questions about their classroom experiences.

According to the BBC News survey, 9% say there are adequate support services to refer children who are uncomfortable with their gender identity.

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) says it receives a “steady stream” of inquiries from its members.

In 2022, it joined other teachers’ unions in releasing guidance on balancing the needs of transgender students with those of others within the legal framework of the Equality Act.

But ASCL policy director Julie McCulloch says without official guidance, schools would be working “in a vacuum”. And she calls for it to be published and widely consulted as soon as possible.

“There are parents and people in the wider school community who understandably have very strong opinions on this issue,” says Ms McCulloch. “So there’s also pressure from communities on schools to make sure they’re doing this right.”

Additional reporting by Larissa Tairo.

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