‘Do not weaken this … let’s make sure it’s made even stronger’

22 December 2023

Chief Executive Andrea Williams reacts to the long-awaited draft guidance from the Department of Education, with key takeaways we should pay attention to, and what this means for Christian freedoms.

Last year, the government promised to provide guidance for schools after settling the case of Christian parents Nigel and Sally Rowe. They had been ostracised from their CofE school community and called labelled as bullies for not being willing to go along with trans ideology.

The new draft guidance vindicates them, and indeed every Christian expressing the godly and universal truth of biological, God-given sex that gender ideology defies.

“I say to the government today, well done on this guidance. I say well done to Christian Concern, to the Christian Legal Centre. Well done every single time for standing with the parents, teachers, doctors and school governors who have raised this issue.

“Why? Because they care about truth. They care about the fact we are all made in God’s image that each one of us is precious, male and female – each one of us deserves and does best with the truth.”

While this document is currently set out as guidance and does not have the force of statute, its strong, decisive language signifies a shift away from gender ideology that is all over existing guidance for schools. It also demonstrates an understanding by the government of the difficulty faced by Joshua Sutcliffe, ‘Hannah’, and others we cannot name, in navigating the regulations and sensitivities of a child questioning their gender.

Now that the government has put it out for public consultation for nine weeks, the ball is in our court.

“This is our time to say thank you, do not desist, do not weaken this, let’s make sure it’s made even stronger in the days and weeks ahead. Let’s keep really energised about this and ensure that the government knows that we’re pleased with this so far and we want it to be even stronger.”

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