Children who engage in “transphobic” bullying in the playground or classroom could be guilty of a hate crime and investigated by police under new government guidance. Pupils could be expelled and their parents forced to attend counselling if they refuse to accept that such behaviour is wrong.
The detailed guidance, running to 46 pages, tells schools how to deal with transphobic bullying, defined as bullying stemming from a hatred or fear of people who are transgender — an umbrella term for people whose sense of gender or gender identity is seen as different from typical norms.
The document also deals with sexist and sexual bullying, giving all three equal significance, even though it admits “incidences of direct transphobic bullying are relatively rarely identified in schools”. The Department for Children, Schools and Families was unable to provide figures on how many transgender pupils there are, although the guidance also covers bullying relating to family, friends and school staff.
It tells schools to address the prejudice by teaching about transgender issues in the curriculum, classroom displays and assemblies.
From next year a legal duty will be placed on schools to protect children and others from discrimination on the ground of gender reassignment under the Equality Bill, which was introduced to bring discrimination laws within a single framework.
Behaviour that could fall under transphobic bullying ranges from teasing a child due to their clothing or appearance or referring to a boy as “she” to abusive graffiti or physical assault.
“Sexist, sexual and transphobic bullying behaviour may involved criminal offences, such as assault, theft, criminal damage, harassment offences, misuse of communication offences, hare crime offences or sexual offences,” the guidance states.
“Where bullying is particularly serious or persistent, it may be necessary...to involve the police in dealing with offences that may have been committed.” Verbal bullying is likely to be the most common and teachers are encouraged to challenge remarks they hear children using which may constitute such behaviour.
“Allowing sexist, sexual or transphobic language to go unchallenged would appear to reinforce the acceptability of this language in school environments,” it says. “Staff need to feel safe and confident to make challenges, and professional development opportunities should be sought to enable this to happen.”
Schools are encouraged to make use of their full range of sanctions against such children, from limiting their play time, detention, close supervision and one-to-one instruction to moving the child or excluding them, for a fixed period or permanently. Parents who refuse to accept such sanctions could be subject to a civil court order requiring them to attend counselling or guidance sessions over a three month period.
Margaret Morrissey, of the campaign group Parents Outloud, said: “The Government should stop interfering with parents bringing up their children and focus on teaching. This political correctness is turning our children into confused mini adults from the age of five to nine. This has nothing at all to do with academic learning.”
But Vernon Coaker, the Schools Minister, said: “There is no place for bullying in our schools. “No matter what form bullying takes it is always unacceptable.”
My respect for Great Britain continues to grow
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