Student who questioned classmate ‘identifying as a cat’ called ‘despicable’ by teacher

The argument spiralled following a class on “life education” in which they were told they can “be who you want to be and how you identify is up to you”.

One student allegedly asked a fellow classmate: “How can you identify as a cat when you’re a girl?”, which sparked the heated chaos.

Their teacher told them they were being reported to a senior leader and were no longer welcome at the school, part of the Aquinas Trust, if they continued to express the view that only boys and girls exist.

During the recording of the hostile exchange the teacher starts by saying “how dare you – you’ve just really upset someone” by “questioning their identity”, according to The Telegraph.

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

The teacher then asks the girls “where did you get this idea from that there are only two genders”, adding: “It is not an opinion.”

The teacher said that “gender is not linked to the parts that you were born with, gender is about how you identify, which is what I said right from the very beginning of the lesson.”

She added that “there is actually three biological sexes because you can be born with male and female body parts or hormones” and “there are lots of genders – there is transgender, there is agender who are people who don’t believe that they have a gender at all”.

The girls said they “don’t agree with that” and that you “can’t have” agender because “if you have a vagina you’re a girl and if you have a penis you’re a boy – that’s it”.

The teacher interrupted in a raised voice “What do you mean you can’t have it? It’s not a law ... Cisgender is not necessarily the way to be – you are talking about the fact that cisgender is the norm, that you identify with the sexual organ you were born with, that’s basically what you’re saying, which is really despicable.”

The teacher suggested the girls were homophobic and confused, which they have denied.

The teacher said that “if you don’t like it you need to go to a different school”, adding: “I’m reporting you to [senior staff], you need to have a proper educational conversation about equality, diversity and inclusion because I’m not having that expressed in my lesson.”

The parent of the student who took the recording expressed anger online and thanked “those who have been kind and supportive” to her daughter.

A parent of another Year 8 pupil at the school who has received the same lesson said: “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.

“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.”

A spokesman for Rye College said: “We are committed to offering our pupils an inclusive education. 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.

“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.”