“As it stands, the Government’s advice to schools encourages a harmful environment for trans pupils who already experience higher levels of bullying, absenteeism and poor mental health.”
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE KATIE RAINBOW (PEXELS)
Following the delays surrounding the UK government’s proposed guidance about trans pupils in schools, the LGBTQIA charity Mermaids has decided to launch a Write Your MP action plan.
Mermaids’ new campaign urges people to write to their local MP about the potentially harmful environment for trans students that is being proposed in this new guidance.
“As it stands, the Government’s advice to schools encourages a harmful environment for trans pupils who already experience higher levels of bullying, absenteeism and poor mental health,” Mermaids said.
If you want to get involved, head over to the https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/schools/ page where they have provided a template email that you can send to your local MP. Alongside this campaign, there is also a space to donate towards the #SupportiveSchools campaign and examples of positive LGBTQIA guidance for schools.
While no official guidance has been issued surrounding trans children in schools, there have been several leaked or proposed ideas which may be shaping the new governmental advice. In a statement by Education Secretary Gillian Keegan on 20 July, she announced that teachers “should always involve parents in decisions relating to their child, and should not agree to any changes that they are not absolutely confident are in the best interests of that child and their peers.”
She continued to say that teachers “should prioritise safeguarding by meeting their existing legal duties to protect single sex spaces and maintain safety and fairness in single sex sport.”
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