A family ordered by a school to believe that girls can become boys and boys can become girls, or be labeled “transphobic,” now has won its court fight over the school’s aggressive attack.
According to a report from the Christian Legal Center, in the United Kingdom, the government there has promised to reform transgender policies for primary schools.
The family also is getting nearly $24,000 for the legal costs already incurred.
The issue involved Nigel Rowe, 49, and his wife, Sally, 47. They and their 6-year-old son were labeled “transphobic” by a Church of England primary school for refusing to “believe” that a child’s sex can be changed from boy to girl or vice versa.
They brought legal action, and it now has been settled with the payment of the money to them for legal costs, and a promise for a “judicial review of the government’s transgender affirming policies.”
The problem arose when the school, on the Isle of Wight, allowed a couple of boys to participate in classes at the age of six identifying as girls.
The school did not require any medical or psychological assessment, simply the word of those students they were transgendered.
The school also insisted it was working with the now-scandal-plagued and shuttered Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust to transition them.
While that was a concern, the ideological war against conservative parents soon became apparent when the school demanded that parents “accept” the trans ideology or “leave” the school.
They said any student with an “inability to believe a transgender person is actually a ‘real’ female or male” would be labeled “transphobic.”
The Christian Legal Center explained, “The local church of England diocese backed the school’s position based on its ‘Valuing All God’s Children’ guidance on challenging homophobic, bi-phobic and transphobic bullying.”
The Rowes ended up homeschooling both of their sons. But they also asked federal education regulators to intervene and review the case.
“The Rowes also presented international expert evidence to the DfE which revealed how trans-affirming policies lead to ‘catastrophic outcomes’ for gender-confused children,” the center reported.
Then, during an appeal, the Rowes “was granted permission by Lord Justice Lane to bring a judicial review for their case to be heard in full at the High Court.”
That prompted the settlement, which includes a government commitment to reform “guidance for schools on transgender issues is being developed by the Department in conjunction with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, with a view to undertaking a public consultation on draft guidance in Autumn 2022, to which the Claimants will have the opportunity to respond.”
Attorney General Suella Braverman recently explained, “The problem is that many schools and teachers believe – incorrectly – that they are under an absolute legal obligation to treat children who are gender questioning according to their preference, in all ways and all respects, from preferred pronouns to use of facilities and competing in sports. All this is sometimes taking place without informing their parents or taking into account the impact on other children. Anyone who questions such an approach is accused of transphobia. In my view, this approach is not supported by the law.”
The Rowes said, in a statement, that the new guidance “must ensure that no more children come to harm. Transgender affirming policies must end in schools and issues with gender-confused children compassionately and professionally managed outside of the classroom.”
They continued, “Promoting transgender ideology to children is harmful: it’s lying to children. Children are impressionable – and they look for affirmation. But when you’re affirming them to be the opposite gender, you’re lying to them. As Christians, we need to make a stand for truth – that is the loving thing to do.”
