Teacher loses claim of unfair dismissal after 'humiliating' student over preferred pronouns

Teacher loses claim of unfair dismissal after 'humiliating' student over preferred pronouns

Gender critical and sacked Swindon teacher, Kevin Lister,

GB News
George Bunn

By George Bunn


Published: 27/03/2024

- 17:15

Updated: 27/03/2024

- 18:40

The teacher was dismissed by the Swindon school following complaints

A teacher who refused to use a pupil's preferred pronouns in class has lost an unfair dismissal tribunal.

Kevin Lister, 60, from Wiltshire, was dismissed in September 2022 for gross misconduct by New College Swindon following complaints by two students.


He has denied violating the student's dignity. Now, he has confirmed on social media he has lost his tribunal.

The hearing in Bristol was told the 17-year-old, known only as Student A, informed the college they wished to be addressed by a boy's name and with male pronouns in September 2021.

\u200bKevin Lister has lost his tribunal after being sacked from New CollegeKevin Lister has lost his tribunal after being sacked from New CollegeGoogle Maps/GB News

Lister refused to do this and later in the academic year, a friend of the teenager, referred to as Student B, made a formal complaint about his conduct.

Now, in a post on social media, Lister said: "Very bad news for the teaching profession and the thousands of families that have been destroyed by this ideology in schools. I lost.

"I represented myself because I had to, not because I wanted to. The NEU withdrew their support. My insurance company would not pay. And I didn't want to draw down on anyone else.

"I do not know what to say to all the teachers who are horrified about having to support this terrible ideology, and have left the profession over it, nor to the families that have been torn apart by it."

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Bristol Civil Justice Centre

A hearing was heard at Bristol Civil Justice Centre

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At the hearing at Bristol Civil Justice Centre, the college's principal and chief executive at the time Carole Kitching said it was the way Lister's "gender critical" beliefs were manifested that led to his dismissal and not the views themselves.

The hearing heard how Lister wrote Student A's birth name, known as a dead name, on a classroom whiteboard during a discussion about whether Student A would be entering a nationwide girls' maths competition.

Kitching said: "This was humiliating for the student, and I don't understand why you wrote their name on the whiteboard when all they had to do was go and see another teacher.

"You were suspended for failing to treat Student A with respect by consistently humiliating them in the class by your refusal to treat them with dignity and respect, which is required by all members of staff."

Today's ruling has been met with a mixed reception on social media.

Spiked columnist Joanna Williams said: "Absolutely terrible finding in case of Kevin Lister. Teachers should not be compelled to affirm a child's imagined gender identity."

Another added: "Once again sanity prevails, and it is affirmed that you can in fact sack 'Gender Critical' people for their beliefs and actions.

"GCs are bullies, Kevin here causing extreme distress to a trans child because of his GC ideology. Rightly sacked!"

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