Government probing school in row over pupil identifying as a cat

School at the centre of row over pupils identifying as animals is facing a government probe after teacher dismissed a girl’s claim that ‘she’s a cat’

• Girl was reprimanded for rejecting classmate’s claim that she identified as a cat
• Mother of pupil scolded said she was proud of her daughter amid gender row

The government is investigating a school where a 13-year-old girl was branded ‘despicable’ by her teacher for rejecting her fellow pupil’s request to be identified as a cat.

Two Year 8 pupils at Rye College in East Sussex were ordered to stay behind after a lesson having refused to accept their classmate’s claim.

One of the girls secretly recorded their conversation with the teacher, who can be heard reprimanding them both for their views that gender is binary, calling it ‘really despicable’ and ‘very sad’.

The school has since faced a huge backlash, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also wading into the row via his spokesman, who said it is not right for children to be influenced by the ‘personal views’ of teachers when it comes to transgender issues.

Now, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has ordered the regional director for the South East to visit Rye College and ‘look into the matter further’, the Department for Education told MailOnline.

Two teenage Year 8 pupils at Rye College in East Sussex were ordered to stay behind in class after clashing with their classmate who identifies as a cat

Now, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan (pictured) has ordered the regional director for the South East to visit Rye College and ‘look into the matter further’, the Department for Education told MailOnline

A spokesman for Rye College told the Telegraph it was ‘not aware’ of any plans for a visit from the DfE but insisted it will keep the department ‘proactively updated on this situation and would of course support any inquiries they may have.’

MailOnline has approached the school for further comment. 

READ MORE: Teacher who scolded Year 8 pupil for questioning classmate’s claim ‘she’s a cat’ in gender row faces backlash from furious parents for ‘aggressive’ and ‘threatening’ manner 

It comes after the PM’s spokesman yesterday asked for headteachers to not be afraid to intervene in extreme cases.

‘In broad terms, teachers have a responsibility to encourage their students to engage respectfully with those they disagree with,’ the spokesman said.

‘They should also not be teaching contested opinions as fact, shutting down valid discussions and debates.

‘It’s important parents and carers are reassured that children aren’t being influenced by personal views of those teaching them. Any example that strays from this would be wrong and we would expect headteachers to act.’

The mother of one of the girls reprimanded, who has asked to be kept anonymous, told MailOnline earlier this week: ‘I’m so proud of my daughter, she will always stand up for what she believes is right and this is all that she did.

‘She expressed a view that many, many of her classmates and their parents would share yet she was shouted down and bullied by someone in authority.’

She continued: ‘For that teacher to tell her to leave and go to another school if she didn’t like what she was being told made my blood boil. What kind of welcome is that for a 13-year-old girl.

As the row over Rye College continues to escalate, further stories are emerging of pupils who identify as animals with very human characteristics – often known as ‘furries’. 

At a state secondary school in Wales, one student is said to ‘meow’ when asked questions by a teacher, rather than answering in English.

In other schools, one apparently insists on being addressed as a dinosaur, one claims to identify as a horse while another is said to wear a cape and demands to be acknowledged as a moon. 

These are known as ‘neo pronouns’, which refer to objects or animals as opposed to traditional genders.

Now further stories are emerging of pupils who identify as animals with very human characteristics – often known as ‘furries’ 

A spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (pictured) said that it is not right for children to be influenced by the ‘personal views’ of teachers when it comes to transgender issues

It comes as the government is due to issue new guidance on self-identity this week, but the issue of ‘furries’ will not be specifically addressed.

READ MORE: ‘I raised my daughter to stand up for what she believes in’: Mother of Year 8 pupil scolded by a teacher for questioning classmate’s claim she identifies as a cat says she is proud of her daughter amid ‘ridiculous’ gender row 

A DfE spokesman said teachers would be trusted to apply ‘common sense’ in each individual case.

Tracy Shaw, of the grassroots Safe Schools Alliance, said she has seen an increasing number of reports of children identifying as animals, but added that these remain in small numbers.

‘This is worrying, as there is a high probability that those children have been online in unregulated chat forums,’ she said.

‘We know predators will do anything to get to children and what better way than to infiltrate chat forums pretending to be a cute furry animal? These children are often already isolated and vulnerable; they may also feel that they don’t fit in.

‘Teachers need to be showing professional curiosity when they encounter children who are identifying as animals.

‘Affirming children as animals harms those children as it fails to look into their lives and get them the help them need. It also harms other children in the school.

‘We are appalled that children are expected to ignore the evidence before their own eyes and pretend that children are something they are clearly not.’

Rye College is a member of the Aquinas Trust, which boasts that one of its key values is ‘promoting equality, celebrating diversity, and addressing disadvantage’ 

Earlier this year, it emerged that the Safer Schools safeguarding organisation had issued guidance for parents and teachers on how to support ‘furries’.

It’s unclear how many UK pupils identify as such, but Safer Schools published a lengthy document advising how to respond if they encounter one who does.

The series of observations about furries includes reassurances that it’s in no way unusual for pupils to want to do this: ‘It’s normal for young people to express themselves through ”dressing up”.’

The post on the organisation’s website explains how members of the furry ‘community’ like to take on the persona of an animal – a ‘fursona’ – and interact with other like-minded ‘fursonas’ by chatting and in acts of role play.

It further outlines how furries take on the personality and physical attributes of their chosen animal and some members make or buy vibrant costumes of their characters, known as ‘fursuits’.

Conventions are held around the world where these like-minded people can meet up in their altered animal ego, it says.

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