A toddler has been kicked out of nursery after being accused of transphobia, new figures reveal.
The child, aged either three or four, was suspended for ‘abuse against sexual orientation and gender identity’, data from the Department for Education shows.
The offences took place in the 2022-23 academic year at a state school, according to The Telegraph.
Statistics indicate 94 pupils at similar primary institutions were suspended or permanently excluded for transphobia or homophobia in the same year.
This included ten pupils from Year 1 and three from Year 2, where the maximum age was seven, and one child was of nursery age.
Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at S*x Matters, said: ‘Every once in a while, the extremes of gender ideology throw up a story that seems too crazy to believe, and a toddler being suspended from nursery for so-called “transphobia” or homophobia is one such example.
Teachers and school leaders involved in this insanity should be ashamed of themselves for projecting adult concepts and beliefs on to such young children.’
Across all primary schools and state schools, the number of pupils suspended or expelled for homophobic or transphobic behaviour increased from 164 in 2021-22 to 178 in 2022-23.
The largest number of suspensions for this reason in 2022-23 was in Essex, with 16, followed by Birmingham, 15, Bradford, 11 and Norfolk, eight.
Figures began in the 2020-21 academic year.
Lord Young, director of the Free Speech Union, said: ‘I would have thought that if your ideology is so rigid it justifies you punishing toddlers for not complying with it, that’s a powerful argument for discarding it in favour of something less dogmatic.’
The Department for Education said: ‘All pupils and staff should feel safe and protected at school and should never face violence or abuse.
‘The Education Secretary has been clear that she expects school leaders to enforce good behaviour and we are committed to a comprehensive programme of behaviour support for schools.
Our Plan for Change sets out our relentless focus on making sure every child gets the best life chances.’
In 2022, a Church of England school in the Isle of Wight warned a six-year-old boy’s parents that he might be deemed ‘transphobic’ if he were to question another pupil wearing a dress.
