Today a group of youth organisations, LGBTQIA+ charities and education unions representing thousands of teaching and non-teaching staff across Northern Ireland have condemned the Education Minister’s removal of guidance for supporting trans youth in education, urging him to reinstate the guidance in a joint statement co-ordinated by The Rainbow Project.
Alexa Moore, Policy Campaigns and Communications Manager at The Rainbow Project, said,
All of our young people are entitled to and should enjoy the best possible education that we can offer them – including LGBT pupils. The Minister’s removal of this guidance at the very start of the school term hasn’t been good for pupils, for teachers, or for parents. We urge him to reinstate the guidance and meaningfully engage with the young people affected by his decisions.
The joint statement references the Department’s own research published in 2017 after it emerged this morning that the Department has removed the publication from its website. The report showed that, at the time, around two thirds of LGBT pupils did not feel safe and supported in school, and that trans pupils faced key issues addressed in the guidance including access to toilets, flexible uniform policies, and appropriate use of name and pronouns.
Susan Neill, vice-chair of NIC-ICTU’s Education Group, which represents thousands of dedicated education workers from teachers to support staff, expressed that they are
gravely concerned that this important guidance has been withdrawn and would ask that the Minister immediately publish the legal basis for the withdrawal.
Susan added,
Given the legal uncertainty as to how the Supreme Court judgement applies to Northern Irelands devolved institutions, we believe that this is at best a premature move on the part of a Minister who would be better to focus on delivering educational outcomes for every child in every school across Northern Ireland. We are also concerned about the absence of discussion or consultation with stakeholders, and we urge the NI Assembly Education Committee to seek the legal basis for the Minister’s decision, and to seek the restoration of the guidance to the EA website.
The detailed guidance, which placed no legal obligations on schools, explored issues including appropriate use of name and pronouns, access to facilities, and safeguarding considerations in depth. It has been replaced by a page long ‘Policy Statement’ which outlines the Department’s legal position but provides little advice to teachers for supporting young people.
Cohen Taylor, Chairperson of the NI Youth Forum has said,
In its most recent report, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child made it clear that our government must act to protect LGBTQIA+ young people. The NI Youth Forum is committed to securing a Bill of Rights that guarantees safety, equality and dignity for every young person, including LGBTQIA+ youth. Restoring the existing guidance on supporting transgender and gender diverse young people is a necessary step towards that goal.
