Parents of children who have been harmed by gender identity ideology, as well as other concerned people, will rally in support of Kevin Lister, the Maths teacher sacked for safeguarding, at his Employment Tribunal at Bristol Civil and Family Justice Centre on 18th March.
Kevin Lister’s ordeal commenced in September 2021 when he received an email from one of his A-level pupils, Lizzie*, expressing a desire to be known as ‘Liam’ and addressed with male pronouns. This request caught him off guard, as there had been no prior indication that Lizzie felt uncomfortable as a girl.
Concerned for Lizzie’s well-being, Kevin raised a safeguarding concern with Swindon New College, where he worked, questioning whether Lizzie’s parents had been notified or asked for their consent regarding her gender transition at school. Additionally, Kevin raised the possibility of Lizzie self-medicating with testosterone, prompted by reports of young women purchasing hormones online for physical transition.
Subsequently, the college’s safeguarding team chose not to inform Lizzie’s parents, a decision seemingly influenced by advice from transgender activist groups advocating for student autonomy in such matters. Left without clear guidance from his superiors, Kevin found himself in a dilemma: respecting Lizzie’s identity while grappling with concerns about parental involvement.
Tensions escalated when ‘Liam’ expressed a desire to participate in a girls-only maths competition the following month. Kevin listed Lizzie’s female name on the board alongside other participants, intending to reflect the competition’s criteria accurately. However, this action was interpreted as transphobic, leading to his suspension from the college.
Following an investigation into the allegations of transphobia, Kevin was terminated from his position in September 2022 for ‘gross misconduct’. Subsequently, he was banned from teaching by the Government’s Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a safeguarding violation, a complete inversion of justice.
Under new government guidance, for which consultation just closed on 12th March 2024, Kevin’s actions would have been entirely correct.
The long-awaited government guidance specifically states the following:
“Parents’ views must also be at the heart of all decisions made about their children – and nowhere is that more important than with decisions that can have significant effects on a child’s life for years to come.”
The Interim Cass Review also states the following:
“Schools should be aware that social transition – changing a child’s name and pronouns – is not neutral. It is an active intervention. The Cass Review has not yet been able to ascertain whether it is beneficial or harmful, or how this may change in different circumstances.”
Why we support Kevin:
We are a group of concerned individuals and parents who strongly believe that children should be safeguarded in schools and that parents should be properly informed to protect the best interests of their children. This means that children should not be subjected to indoctrination and/or gender ideology.
So-called social affirmation at school is acknowledged as leading children towards harm including medical treatments that are profoundly life-limiting including osteoporosis and sterility. Regret is real and not uncommon.
We are outraged at the treatment of Kevin Lister. Raising safeguarding concerns should always be without risk.
A child changing their ‘gender’ at school is a safeguarding failure and should be treated accordingly.
*Names have been changed.
