Private school had parents investigated by social services in row over trans daughter
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A leading private school in Scotland had parents investigated by social workers after they fought teachers’ attempts to “affirm” their daughter’s transgender identity.
George Watson’s College in Edinburgh called in social services in December 2020 after a long-running dispute in which the parents, acting on advice from psychologists who had assessed their child, asked for the school to adopt a “watchful waiting” approach.
“Watchful waiting” is an approach in which a child’s view of their gender is closely observed but without social or medical intervention. Evidence suggests that many children with gender issues will revert to identifying as a member of their biological sex as they become older.
However, the school insisted upon “respecting his [the child’s] wishes to use the masculine pronouns”, claiming they had the teenager’s “best interest and wellbeing at heart”.
The school announced it received a gold charter award from the controversial trans activist charity LGBT Youth Scotland (LGBTYS), which requires schools to rewrite policies and send teachers on its training courses, in April 2019.
Schools are given a gold, silver or bronze rating denoting their LGBTQ+ friendliness as part of the charter scheme that is backed by the SNP government.
‘Our child was seen as a guinea pig’
The child’s mother, whom The Telegraph is not naming to protect the young person’s identity, said the school would defer to the charity rather than listen to the parents, who were acting on clinical advice, which said affirming the teenager’s gender was not in her best interests.
Like hundreds of other schools that are part of the LGBTYS charter scheme, the school runs an LGBT club, which the child had joined.
“We were repeatedly lied to by the school,” the mother said. “I feel that our child was just seen as a little guinea pig by the school and LGBT Youth Scotland.
“The school policies, which LGBT Youth Scotland help write, are set up to ensure parents are deliberately misled.
“We had received two expert opinions, including from a specialist in gender, not to challenge our child but that adults should basically turn a blind eye, and not affirm her.
“But these experts were repeatedly dismissed by teachers. They literally said to us on one occasion that LGBT Youth Scotland were the experts in this.”
She added: “Rather than engaging meaningfully with us, we were referred to social services by the school and investigated.
“Fortunately, they were sensible and it went no further, but the fact that this was deemed appropriate in the first place is outrageous.”
Sources at the school, where Olmpian Sir Chris Hoy and former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind were educated, admitted social services were contacted but said this was for “advice” about how to “support the young person”.
They added they had never seen the professional advice obtained by the parents.
Trans activist charity criticised Cass review
The paediatrician Hilary Cass, whose landmark review into child gender services in the English NHS was published last month, has warned about the possible dangers of social transitioning, meaning to informally change name and gender.
Dr Cass called for a cautious approach, including in schools, saying social transitioning was more likely to push children on to a potentially damaging medical pathway.
LGBTYS has criticised the Cass review recommendations that led to the suspension of hormones and puberty blockers for under 18s in Scotland, saying this would “directly harm young people”.
Social workers were called in by the school in December 2020. They interviewed the parents and the child before agreeing with the clinical advice the parents had received and taking no further action.
However, the mother says the school persisted with the “affirming” approach.
The school was still attempting to contact social workers the following August, with an email from a staff member claiming “attempts to get in contact with his allocated social worker have proved fruitless”.
The mother said she felt able to speak out about her ordeal now that her child had left the school, and with the activities and influence of LGBTYS coming under increasing scrutiny.
Jenny Gilruth, the SNP Education Secretary, said last week that she was looking at implications of the Cass review into Scottish government’s guidance for schools, which LGBTYS helped write.
It urges teachers to take an “affirming” approach to all children who say they are trans no matter how young they are.
In a letter from Ms Gilruth regarding the George Watson’s case, sent last November, she said ultimately a child’s wishes on whether parents were informed about gender transition “should be respected”.
Information the mother obtained from the school after making a Subject Access Request shows her daughter’s “preferred name” was changed on school systems after she said she was non-binary.
The child later said she identified as male, and the school adopted male pronouns in a move the mother said was kept from her.
Meeting records show the school said in late 2019 it would “be respecting his [the child’s] wishes to use the masculine pronouns” despite the fact that “mum and dad absolutely do not agree with the ‘positive affirmation approach’ that school is endorsing”.
Correspondence with social services states the child was “anxious now that social work have been contacted” and asked for her to be “reassured” that social workers were “part of a support network”.
A spokesman for George Watson’s College said: “Social and gender transitioning are amongst the most challenging and polarising issues facing schools today.
“We have always worked collaboratively with parents and apologise to those involved in this case for any distress caused by what are difficult and challenging circumstances.
“Every school in Scotland has to weigh up parental engagement with the rights of children, with transitioning being a fluid and ongoing challenge for all.
“The welfare of our pupils remains our first priority and we continue to work constructively with both parents and their children as we work through these matters.”
A spokesman for LGBTYS said George Watson’s had been awarded a charter in 2018 and that it expired in 2022.
He added: “When it comes to advising on supporting trans pupils in schools we always refer to Scottish government guidance.”
