A 13-year-old girl in the United Kingdom was shamed by her Church of England school teacher after the child questioned a fellow student who identified as a cat.
The incident unfolded at Rye College in East Sussex in an eighth-grade “life education” class. The teacher told pupils that they may “be who you want to be and how you identify is up to you.” One student apparently decided they are a cat.
When instruction ended, a student asked the classmate, “How can you identify as a cat when you’re a girl?”
That innocent and completely understandable question was all it took to set off the teacher.
A recording revealed the teacher told the questioner and her friend that they were being reported to administration. They would also not be welcome back on campus if they held onto their views that there are only boys and girls.
Student called ‘despicable’ by teacher after challenging peer who identifies as a cat https://t.co/VulR8fJYTF pic.twitter.com/BdlpRwgcp5
— New York Post (@nypost) June 19, 2023
The teacher exploded and challenged the girls. “How dare you, you’ve just really upset someone” through “questioning their identity.”
She asked the girls “where did you get this idea from that there’s only two genders?” The undoubtedly stunned student replied, “I just said my opinion. If I respect their opinion, can’t they respect mine?”
The offended teacher then raised her voice to contradict the students. “You are talking about the fact that cisgender is the norm, that you identify with the [gender] organ you are born with. That’s basically what you are saying, which is really despicable.”
She added, “if you don’t like it, you need to go to a different school.”
A parent told The Telegraph that while they understood the point the teacher was attempting to make, they were concerned over the “shutting down of debate in such a threatening and aggressive manner.”
They said that education should present different views to broaden understanding of topics. It should not be simply indoctrination.
Instructors at Church of England schools were reportedly told recently that they should “re-educate” students. In doing so, they could use “negative language” such as “this is mental” or “stop acting like a girl.”
A spokesperson for Rye College insisted that the institution exists to offer an “inclusive education.” They said processes will be reviewed “with the relevant individuals to ensure such events do not take place in the future.”
