U-turn over gender swap schoolkids
Campaigners ditch advice after row
A campaign group have backed down on claims that their controversial guidance to schools on transgender pupils had Government backing.
LGBT Youth Scotland issued guidelines to teachers, including advice not to tell parents if a child changes gender in school unless they have the pupil’s permission.
Teachers were also advised to inform local authorities of parents who “struggle” with their child’s transgender identity.
The guidelines were said to have been endorsed by the Government but both they and LGBT Youth Scotland last week admitted an “error” over the claim.
We told how court action against the guidance was being threatened by the Christian Institute (CI), the pressure group who spearheaded the campaign to overturn the named person legislation.
Lawyers representing the CI have written to the Government to express “significant concerns” about the guidelines, entitled Supporting Transgender Young People.
The CI’s lawyers received a letter from Trevor Owen, the Scottish Government’s head of violence against women, social isolation and LGBTI equal ity policy, in which he states: “The guidance is not a Scott ish Government publication. The Scottish Government were made aware of the guidance and expressed support for it.
“We did not take any decision to formally endorse the guidance as we do not take a prescriptive approach to the curriculum in Scotland.”
Ciaran Kelly, of the CI, said: “The Scottish Government are either being disingenuous or are seriously confused. Either way, they’ve got themselves in a mess.
“The guidance clearly states in black and white that it is endorsed by the Scottish Government.
“When it was launched in November last year, it was widely reported by the media the Scottish Government endorsed it.
“Surely if it had been done without permission, someone would have said so? They had every opportunity to deny it then but didn’t.”
LGBT Youth Scotland boss Fergus McMillan said: “While the Scottish Government are supportive of the guidance and the need for it, the inclusion of their logo in the list
of organisat ions endorsing the guidance was an error, which is being corrected.
“We are working closely with the Scottish Government’s LGBTI work ing group and par tner organisations to further inclusive education for all LGBTI learners.”
The Scottish Government said: “We fund LGBT Youth Scotland to help combat discrimination and this guidance aims to help primary and secondary staf f support transgender children and young people.
“While we are supportive of the guidance, it is up to individual schools and local authorities what approaches they use, and external partnerships they build, to help them deliver relevant and engaging learning.”