Kray Astroid

I tried to place this story with a national publication. They were interested. It's clearly a matter of public interest. The tricky part, they said, is that the teacher does not appear to be breaking any laws. That is correct. But just because something is legal doesn't mean it doesn't raise serious questions about safeguarding in schools and educational settings. If children, parents and other teachers can be expected to go along with something they don't believe to be true, what else might they be pressured to agree with? Or turn a blind eye to? In my opinion, this school has failed in its duty of care. Not just to pupils and fellow teachers, but to the teacher himself. A teacher whose public conduct suggests he may not understand professional boundaries deserves to be told clearly what those boundaries are – not met with unquestioning affirmation. A male teacher who identifies as a woman and expects others – including teenage girls in his classroom – to regard him as one deserves compassion. But he needs professional support, not unquestioning affirmation. A man who is so uncomfortable in his own body that he is publicly fundraising to travel to Thailand for surgery to remove his penis deserves compassion, too. But he needs professional support, not unquestioning affirmation. And what message does all this send to teenage girls who may be experiencing distress or discomfort about their own bodies? That removing healthy body parts is the answer? The problem is that situations like this have become so familiar that people may feel they must either accept them as normal or stay silent, having seen what happens to others who question them. But we should be able to question this. Schools should be places where difficult questions can be asked, professional boundaries are maintained and the welfare of pupils and staff comes first. Not places where legitimate safeguarding concerns are silenced in the name of so-called 'kindness and inclusion'.