Teacher recorded calling pupil ‘despicable’ during debate on transgender identity

TikTok recording of gender identity discussion was shared on social media

A teacher has been recorded calling a schoolgirl ‘despicable’ in a discussion about gender identity.

The incident occurred during a Year 8 class on “life education” at Rye College in East Sussex last Friday, where students were told to “be who you want to be – and how you identify is up to you”.

A recording of the discussion, shared on TikTok, captured the unnamed female teacher’s outraged remarks as she accused a pupil of upsetting someone by “questioning their identity”.

The pupil said: “If they want to identify as a cow or something then they are genuinely unwell – crazy”.

The teacher said gender was not solely determined by biological characteristics but by how individuals identify themselves.

She further argued there are three biological sexes and numerous genders, including transgender and agender.

One of the students, however, could be heard vehemently disagreeing and asserting that “you can’t have that”.

“What do you mean you can’t have that? It’s not a law,” the teacher can then be heard saying, after which one of the students responds by saying that it was “our opinion, we just don’t agree with it”.

The student can be heard arguing that gender is determined by biological sex, meaning “if you have a vagina you’re a girl and if you have penis you’re a boy. That’s it”.

The teacher can be heard responding with a raised voice and condemning their views as “really despicable”.

“Cisgender is not necessarily the way to be – you are talking about the fact that cisgender is the norm, that you identify with the gender of the sexual organ you were born with or you’re weird. That’s basically what you’re saying, which is really despicable,” the teacher is heard saying.

One of the students asserted that their mother would support their perspective after which the teacher replies, asking the students “why do you think we have so many problems in the world with homophobia?”

“That’s not homophobia, that’s transgender,” one student then says. “I’m fine with lesbians and gay people. I’ve got nothing against them.”

“You’re confusing sex with gender,” the teacher further argues, to which the student replies, “No, I’m not.”

“I haven’t said anything at all in the lessons I have been in, it’s just because they turn around and start saying something, so I said ‘how can you identify as a cat when you are a girl,’” one of the students was heard responding to the teacher, who then says the pupil in question is writing a statement and the other students will be asked to write one as well.

The incident was criticised by a parent of one of the students involved who allegedly shared the recording on social media platforms.

“I understand the point the teacher was attempting to make, what bothers me is the shutting down of debate in such a threatening and aggressive manner, which I don’t believe is appropriate in an educational setting,” the parent told The Telegraph.

“Regardless of the subject, education should serve to build awareness of differing points of view to widen the understanding of a subject. It shouldn’t be a case of indoctrination.”

The school said it would be ‘reviewing its processes’ to avoid a repeat of the altercation.

“We are committed to offering our pupils an inclusive education,” a spokesperson for Rye College and the Aquinas Trust, that runs a network of Church of England schools, told The Independent.

“Teachers endeavour to ensure that pupils’ views are listened to, and encourage them to ask questions and engage in discussion. Teachers also aim to answer questions sensitively and honestly,” the spokesperson said.

“We strive to uphold the highest standards across the school. We will be reviewing our processes and working with the relevant individuals to ensure such events do not take place in the future.”