Christian teacher banned for ‘misgendering’ student, deemed a threat.

Christian Teacher Banned from Teaching in UK for “Misgendering” Student

A Christian teacher in the United Kingdom has been banned from teaching after being accused of “misgendering” a female student who identified as male. The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) investigated and banned 33-year-old Joshua Sutcliffe from teaching after allegedly “misgendering” the student and expressing his opposition to same-sex marriage.

While teaching math, Sutcliffe said “well-done girls” to a group of students at The Cherwell School, according to The Telegraph. The agency found that Sutcliffe had failed to show the student, a girl who identified as a boy, “dignity and respect.”

Sutcliffe was placed on leave after the incident in 2017. Additionally, the TRA said that it was inappropriate for Sutcliffe to express his opposition to same-sex marriage and accused him of exposing the identity of the child he was accused of “misgendering” during a TV interview about the controversy.

“The panel was satisfied that the conduct of Mr. Sutcliffe fell significantly short of the standard of behaviour expected of a teacher,” the TRA said in a statement.

Alan Meyrick, the head of the TRA, said that the ruling, which prohibits Sutcliffe from teaching at any school in England, was necessary to give people faith in the education system.

Sutcliffe said in an interview with Times Radio that he would have been willing not to use pronouns, but the TRA was unconvinced. He added that his marriage comments came after a student asked him what the Christian view of marriage was, and he said it was between one man and one woman.

“You’re encouraging these students to go down a really dangerous and really serious path.”

This teacher says he is ‘heartbroken’ after he was banned from the profession for failing to use a pupil’s preferred pronouns. @StigAbell | #TimesRadio pic.twitter.com/0KrP77nzN6

— Times Radio (@TimesRadio) May 23, 2023

Sutcliffe, backed by the Christian Legal Centre, said in another statement that using pronouns not associated with a student’s biological sex would harm them.

“I believe affirming children in gender confusion in the classroom is psychologically damaging for them. I refuse to go against my conscience and cause a child harm and refuse to apologize for that,” he said.

In 2025, Sutcliffe is eligible to appeal to have his ban revoked.

Takeaway

• A Christian teacher in the UK has been banned from teaching after being accused of “misgendering” a student who identified as male.
• The teacher expressed his opposition to same-sex marriage and used the term “girls” when addressing a group of students.
• The Teaching Regulation Agency found that the teacher had failed to show the student “dignity and respect.”
• The teacher is backed by the Christian Legal Centre and believes that using pronouns not associated with a student’s biological sex would harm them.