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Uniforms and toilets: How single-sex schools respond to transgender students
Debate over religious freedom has raised questions about how single-sex
schools respond to transgender students, but there are few answers. Debate over religious freedom has raised questions about how single-sex schools respond to transgender students, but there are few answers.From the SMH here:
An article by
<div>Most independent, religious schools contacted by the Herald about
their approach failed to respond. Those that did – including SCEGGS
Darlinghurst, St Catherine’s School and The King’s School – said they
were guided by the wellbeing of the students.</div><div></div>
“The gender identity landscape is constantly evolving and we’re continually learning about how we are best able to respond to it whilst supporting our students,” Paul Hine, the principal of Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview, said.
The NSW Department of Education – which runs more than 34 single-sex schools – also had little to say. Public schools supported all students and worked with them and their parents “on a case-by-case basis”, a spokesman said in a statement.
One legal bulletin said that, if there was a dispute between the student and one or both of their parents, the principal could make the decision that was in the best interests of the student, based on their age, maturity and health advice.
If a student wanted to enrol in a single-sex school, their eligibility should be based on their identified gender, the online policy said.
Students who identified as transgender should be allowed to choose what they wear from a suite of uniform options.
They should not be required to use the toilets used by those of the gender they were assigned at birth. A risk assessment should be made about the safety of using the facilities of their identified gender and, if they were excluded, the decision should be regularly reviewed.
Principals of public single-sex public schools, who spoke to the Herald on the condition of anonymity as they are not permitted to speak to the media, said they had supported transitioning students regardless of whether their identified gender matched the one in the school’s name, and would continue to do so.
Several private school principals responded to the Herald’s query.
They included Jenny Allum, from SCEGGS, who said, “We treat each case involving a transgender student on a case-by-case basis, trying to understand how best to support the child and the family, trying to be flexible and understanding.”
Julie Townsend, from St Catherine’s School, said: “If one of our girls is considering transitioning, we would support the student and their family in the best way we could as they work through the matter together.”
Tony George, the head of The Kin’gs School, said issues of identity were broader and more complex than just questions of sex, gender and sexuality, which, while important, “should not dominate our thinking and experience in schools”.
“We need to let kids be kids and stop sexualising them and their identity. For most children the question does not arise.
“Of course, when it does, the circumstances must be managed sensitively and, as with all matters, in close co-operation with the family and with the needs and best interests of the child as the focus.”
Read the full article here:
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