Today in Nottingham, an employment tribunal will begin hearing the case of a Christian teacher sacked for raising safeguarding concerns about an 8-year-old ‘transitioning’ in a primary school under the guidance of Stonewall.
Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, ‘Hannah’, who cannot be named due to reporting restrictions, is suing Nottinghamshire County Council, who runs the school, for victimisation for whistleblowing, unfair dismissal and discrimination on the grounds of her Christian beliefs.
There is a possibility that today the teacher’s identity could be lifted after years of reporting restrictions.
The original hearing of her case collapsed last year after it was discovered a member of the presiding panel had made a string of anti-Christian and anti-conservative posts on X.
Judge Victoria Butler, presiding over the case, was forced to recuse herself and the whole panel for a ‘perception of bias.’
The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office, supported by the Senior President of the tribunals and the Lord Chancellor, subsequently said that panel member Mr Jed Purkis’ comments amounted to misconduct, and he was given a formal rebuke.
Ahead of this week’s hearing before a new panel, lawyers representing ‘Hannah’ have also made an application to lift the restrictions on the media reporting her identity.
This issue is likely to be dealt with by the Tribunal at the beginning of the hearing on Tuesday.
Hannah has alleged that the school dismissed her, and reported her to a raft of regulators, for blowing the whistle on uncovering the school’s ‘trans affirming’ policy practice which she believed endangered ‘Child X’ and their peers.
The policies appeared to allow any child at the school, without medical evidence, to be affirmed in whichever gender they choose.
Promoted with staff training under the direction of a Stonewall Champion working at the local authority, the policies did not include any detail on the risks a ‘trans affirming’ approach has to children.
Under the policy, Hannah was told ahead of the new school year in 2021, that an 8-year-old joining her class must be addressed by the child’s new name and pronouns and therefore would be treated as ‘transgender’, be ‘affirmed’ in the belief that they were ‘born in a wrong body’ and be allowed to use toilets and changing room facilities of the opposite sex.
Hannah said that she could not go against her conscience and Christian beliefs in affirming what she believed would cause Child X, and other children in the school, short and long-term harm.
Following all the correct safeguarding procedures and backed by expert evidence, Hannah raised safeguarding concerns which were repeatedly ignored by school bosses, governors and the local authority.
Faced with no option but to pursue a judicial review of the school and council’s refusal to properly act on her concerns, Hannah was dismissed for giving her lawyers information on what was happening in the school which the school argued was confidential.
‘Generation of children let down’
A Policy Exchange report published in 2023 backed Hannah’s position when it concluded that a “generation of children are being let down, because well-established safeguarding standards are being compromised.”
The report went on to say regarding sex and gender issues that:
“Safeguarding principles are being routinely disregarded in many secondary schools, which are neglecting their safeguarding responsibilities in favour of a set of contested beliefs in a way that risk jeopardising child wellbeing and safety.”
‘I followed all the correct procedures’
Ahead of the hearing, Hannah said: “Like all teachers at the school, I owed a safeguarding duty to Child X.
“I followed all the correct procedures, I backed all of my concerns with expert evidence and believed the action I took was in the public interest.
“I’ve taken this action because I care enough about children to encourage us to ask if we are doing harm. This isn’t about me simply trying to prove that I am right, but about the safety of seriously distressed children.
“I could not participate in causing harm to Child X. The tragic stories of ‘detransitioners’, and clear expert scientific evidence, back and vindicate me.
“Teachers are being bullied not to question trans affirming policies but evidence shows they put the welfare of children at serious risk.
“I was informed by my conscience as a Christian to live right before my God and also by the body evidence I had researched which informed me clearly that social transitioning young children is harmful.
“I am determined to pursue justice over how I have been treated because my number one concern and motivation is to protect this child and other children in this country from harm.”
‘Genuine love and concern’
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said:
“Society’s view on this issue has shifted since Hannah originally exposed what was happening in this school. She is the courageous one in this story. Out of genuine love and concern for the child and the children in her class she told the truth. For this she has been punished, lost the job she loves and forced to wait years for justice.
“Hannah’s story exposes the confusion and untruths that have been embedded in primary schools over human sexuality and identity. This has developed into an education crisis which needs to be stopped.
“Society has lost its moral compass. How did we ever decide that it would be helpful for young children to be taught that they might be born in the wrong body? How is it helpful for distressed children to encourage them down a path of ‘changing gender’ with all the associated social and medical intervention?
“Schools and teachers are terrified of being accused of being ‘transphobic’ and even reported to regulators as a safeguarding risk, a danger to children or even as a criminal. At the Christian Legal Centre we are seeing this happen. It needs to stop.
“For years, parents and teachers who have raised safeguarding concerns over these issues have been ignored and disbelieved despite clear expert evidence demonstrating the harm trans affirmation causes.
“This is an untenable situation, and we now hope and pray for an impartial panel to rule on this case.”
Find out more about Hannah
