Nottingham Girls’ High School in Nottinghamshire, England has been criticised for its decision to stop accepting students that identify as transgender.
The school will now only accept students on the grounds of their legal sex record and not the gender they choose to identify with. As a result, girls who are transgender and were assigned male at birth will not be granted admission.
Local MP Nadia Whittome has condemned the school’s decision. She told ITV’s News Central that ‘ The trust is hiding behind the Equality Act as a reason for this policy not to admit transgender girls. But the Equality Act itself is clear on this, there’s a provision in it that allows single sex schools to maintain their single sex exemption while also admitting pupils of the opposite sex in exceptional circumstances.’
She then added that: ‘ What isn’t so clear and what lawyers are concerned about is that in fact the trust’s new policy is the one that could be unlawful.’
Ironically the website for the school, which is run by the Girls’ Day School Trust, claims that it is ‘ Progressive. Creative. Different.’
In defence of their decision it has been reported that the trust say the new policy is intended to protect the status of the school as a single-sex institution.
Cheryl Giovannoni, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Girls’ Day School Trust, said to ITV: It is important to state first and foremost that the underlying principle of our policy is to offer a supportive educational environment to those students who are exploring their gender identity or in the process of transitioning.
Our trans students are welcome in our schools and our policy primarily sets out ways in which schools can support them. A trans student already at our school can remain at the school for as long as they wish to do so. Young people exploring their gender identity need space and time to make decisions, free of pressure.’
She finished her statement by concluding that: ‘ The school has a responsibility to support a trans pupil and ensure measures are put in place to enable them to remain at their school. We will work together with them to make the best choices for their long-term wellbeing.
‘GDST schools are able to operate a single-sex admissions policy, without breaching the Equality Act 2010 on the basis of an exemption relating to biological sex.
‘Under current laws and guidance, the GDST believes that an admissions policy based on gender identity rather than the legal sex recorded on a student’s birth certificate could jeopardise the status of GDST schools as single-sex schools under the act. We will continue to monitor the legal interpretation of this exemption.’
The renowned digital publishers LADbible approached the school for comment and were told that ‘The intention of the policy is to set out ways in which schools can support them throughout their time at school.
The school has a responsibility to support a trans pupil and ensure measures are put in place to enable them to remain at their school. We work with them to make the best choices for their long-term wellbeing across all elements of their journey.’
Despite what the website states, this seems far from progressive to me.
