A ROW is brewing over school guidance which will let kids swap genders at school – as long as their parents agree.
Ministers are putting the finishing touches to the advice, which is expected to be published within days.
MP Miriam Cates said kids should not be allowed to swap genders in schools full stop
It will say that children can “socially transition” – call themselves different names and wear different uniforms – if their mums and dads agree.
Although they will not be allowed to use the opposite biological sex’s changing rooms or toilets or take part in competitive sport against them.
Trending In The News on Sunday understands No10 had considered barring anyone under 18 from socially transitioning, but had decided this is unenforceable and potentially illegal.
The guidance has been held up amid last-minute wrangling within Whitehall.
Government insiders suggested schools would have to carry out wellbeing checks before finally approving kids to change ID.
But they are still deciding what these looks like.
Advice will be age specific – with teachers expected to take a firmer stance against young children wanting to swap genders than older teens.
But Tory MP Miriam Cates said kids should not be allowed to swap genders in schools full stop.
She said: “I really think that anything other than a ban on schools socially transitioning children is wrong.
“This is about the responsibility of the state in schools – we shouldn’t be saying children can change gender or be referred to as anything other than their biological sex.
“I also think it is unworkable. Once you start saying biological boys are a she she, how can you start saying they cant use girls toilets and things?”
She said that if a child asks their friends to call them by a certain name, or parents choose to socially transition their child at home, that is one thing.
“But schools are the responsibility of the state, and to start going down the road of gender identity is the wrong territory to go down.”
Rishi Sunak has said the guidance will stop the scandal of kids being able to swap gender IDs at school without their parents knowing.
But Ms Cates said there is a danger the advice backfires by “codifying social transitioning”.
She added: “At least we can say at the moment that it is a Wild West.
“People are doing all sorts of things because they do not know what they are supposed to do.
“But if you codify this – saying you can transition – you are giving the state’s blessing.”
One government source said: “The running thread through the guidance is that parents are fully involved in their child’s decision.
“But we need to make sure this doesn’t have unintended consequences and that we are protecting the kids.”
