Parents to sue over school trans guidance

The Christian parents of two boys are seeking a judicial review in connection with the Cornwall Schools Transgender Guidelines, which encourage children to dress as they choose to reflect their 'true gender'.

The document – first published in 2015 – defines 'true gender' as 'the gender that a person truly feels they are inside'.

Nigel and Sally Rowe (see photo) are to bring proceedings following the Department of Education's refusal to review the guidelines. They first raised concerns with their Isle of Wight CofE primary school in 2017 after a boy started coming to school dressed as a girl.

The school then wrote to them stating an 'inability to believe a transgender person is actually a "real" female or male' and refusing to 'acknowledge a transgendered person's true gender' was transphobic.

Mr Rowe said: 'This case is about an ideology that is now embedded in schools, local authorities, and Church of England leadership, and is causing serious long-term harm to thousands of children.'

The couple now home school and are being supported by Christian Concern. Their case will include expert evidence on the dangers of trans-affirming policies and that the guidelines lead to 'catastrophic' outcomes for primary school children.

Mrs Rowe said: 'As a society we are called to protect children, and these guidelines and the culture they are embedding in primary schools is achieving the opposite.'

Jennie Pollock, head of public policy at the Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF), said: 'One particularly vocal arm of the transgender lobby is strongly opposed to the idea that our biology can tell us anything about who we are… they equate disagreement with hate.

'CMF has been pleased to see that concerns around this radical agenda are increasingly being recognised and raised -especially as it relates to children and young people - and we are working with other groups and individuals to try to influence policy-makers and to support and encourage people affected by gender dysphoria and their families, pastors and doctors.'