A Christian maths teacher in the UK has been banned from teaching because he allegedly refused to use a student’s preferred pronouns.
33-year-old Joshua Sutcliffe says he is “devastated” by the decision.
He plans to appeal, but if upheld, the ban cannot be reviewed for another two years.
“Based on this ruling, every teacher is at risk if they share their beliefs and views in the classroom. If a teacher had shown or recommended a video from a liberal YouTube platform, would they have been treated as I have?” Mr. Sutcliffe queried.
“I believe affirming children who are in gender distress in the classroom is psychologically damaging for them. I refuse to go against my conscience and cause a child harm and cannot apologise for that,” he added.
He was dismissed as a teacher for gross misconduct at an Oxford school in 2017 for not using the preferred pronouns of a biologically girl who identified as a boy. Mr. Sutcliffe claimed he unintentionally said Well Done Girls in a comment to the entire class and swiftly apologised to the student.
He appealed, claiming ‘constructive dismissal’ and discrimination and the case was settled out of court.
The Teaching Regulatory Authority (TRA) then launched a further investigation into Mr. Sutcliffe and found him guilty of bringing the profession into disrepute.
It concluded it was “more probable than not” that he had failed to use the student’s preferred pronouns on a number of occasions and failed to treat the pupil with “dignity and respect.”
Mr. Sutcliffe denied those charges and a TRA panel appeared to ignore parents’ commendations calling him patient, kind, considerate, respectful, trustworthy and a gentleman.
“Mathematics has always been a great joy of mine; my teaching record is exemplary, and I was always respectful to everyone,” he asserted.
“From the beginning, however, this case has not been about my ability to teach, but about me being a Christian and believing in the gospel and the Lordship of Jesus Christ.”
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which has supported Mr. Sutcliffe, is calling on the UK government to act to end discrimination against Christian teachers and others in the profession who express similar views.
“This is a tipping point. The government needs to step in and restore some sanity into the teaching profession. Similar action needs to be taken regarding the Teaching Regulation Agency,” she said.
“I am very concerned by the way regulatory bodies are now punishing Christian teachers simply for stating the truth.”
“The Christian viewpoint on sexual ethics and morality is no longer being tolerated in the classroom and teachers who openly express it are having their ability to teach removed by the regulatory body. This is serious and sinister.”
