This is a controversial verdict.
A High Court judge in England has upheld an indefinite ban on Joshua Sutcliffe, a teacher who was dismissed for not using a transgender student’s preferred pronoun. The incident that led to his dismissal occurred in 2017 at Cherwell School in Oxford, where Sutcliffe addressed a group of students, including the student who identified as a boy, with “Well done, girls.” Following this, Sutcliffe was fired, and despite settling a legal action against the school out of court, he received a minimum two-year ban from the Professional Conduct Panel Teaching Regulation Authority (TRA) for “bringing the profession into disrepute.”
Sutcliffe’s legal counsel argued that the ban was an unjustified interference with his rights to freedom of speech and religion. However, Justice Pepperall ruled that teachers must use preferred pronouns for transgender students, regardless of personal beliefs. The judge emphasized that misgendering is inappropriate conduct for a teacher, even if it is not unlawful, and underscored the importance of respecting students’ personal autonomy.
The ruling came despite draft guidelines from the previous Conservative U.K. government in 2023, which suggested that teachers should not be compelled to use pronouns against their conscience. Justice Pepperall noted that these guidelines, which were introduced after the events in question, did not provide sufficient justification for Sutcliffe’s actions. He asserted that decisions regarding pronoun use should be made by schools rather than individual staff members.
In response to the ruling, Sutcliffe reaffirmed his stance, arguing that affirming transgender identities in the classroom is harmful. He criticized the lack of guidance provided to teachers on transgender issues at the time of the incident and expressed concern about the influence of non-governmental organizations like Stonewall on school policies. Sutcliffe stated that he has been targeted for his Christian beliefs and vowed to continue fighting for his convictions.
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which supported Sutcliffe’s appeal, criticized the judge’s portrayal of Sutcliffe and warned of the negative implications for teachers who hold traditional Christian beliefs. She argued that the current environment in schools is hostile to such beliefs and pledged to support Sutcliffe in seeking justice.