Christian man barred from teaching for not using trans pronouns

A Christian teacher has been barred from teaching after refusing to use a trans-identified student’s chosen pronouns.

Joshua Sutcliffe, 33, plans to appeal the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) decision. If upheld, the ban cannot be reviewed for another two years.

He said he was “devastated” by the verdict.

“Based on this ruling, every teacher is at risk if they share their beliefs and views in the classroom. For example, if a teacher had shown or recommended a video from a liberal YouTube platform, would they have been treated as I have?” he said.

“I believe affirming children in gender distress in the classroom psychologically damages them. Therefore, I refuse to go against my conscience, cause a child harm, and cannot apologize.”

He was dismissed as a teacher for gross misconduct in 2017 after allegedly “misgendering” a female student at his school who identified as a boy.

Sutcliffe then took up a teaching position at another school but resigned in 2019 after a backlash over a video posted to his personal YouTube channel sharing his views on Islam.

Legal issues with both schools were settled, but the TRA decided to investigate several allegations against Sutcliffe, including his refusal to use students’ self-declared pronouns instead of their actual pronouns, saying he did not believe in a same-sex marriage, and allegedly failing to provide an alternative viewpoint to students when he reportedly showed them a video on masculinity by U.S. conservative advocacy group, PragerU.

A seven-day professional conduct panel hearing resulted in the decision to keep him from teaching indefinitely after finding him guilty of “unprofessional conduct” and “bringing the profession into disrepute.”

“Given the evidence of the pupils that Mr. Sutcliffe had failed to use Pupil A’s pronoun on various occasions, and Mr. Sutcliffe’s admission that he had failed to use pupil A’s pronoun on one occasion, the panel found that it was more probable than not that Mr. Sutcliffe had failed to use Pupil A’s preferred pronoun in the classroom during teaching on one or more occasions,” the panel said.

“The panel, therefore, concluded that by failing to use pupil A’s preferred pronouns, Mr. Sutcliffe had failed to uphold Pupil A’s dignity and respect and safeguard Pupil A’s wellbeing.”

The TRA found that he was not guilty of unprofessional conduct in his YouTube video on Islam.

In its judgment, the TRA said a prohibition was “proportionate and in the public interest” to maintain “confidence in the profession.” The ban prohibits Mr. Sutcliffe from teaching in schools across England.

Commenting on the verdict, Mr. Sutcliffe said he had been “mercilessly punished” for refusing to change his stance.

“Indoctrinating children across the country to celebrate and promote pride, to fly the pride flag is celebrated, but if Christian beliefs are raised or expressed in the classroom, you face having your career and life torn apart,” he said.

“I have been bullied and pursued and have had every part of my life scrutinized for expressing my Christian faith and biological truth.”

He added, “Mathematics has always been a great joy of mine; my teaching record is exemplary, and I was always respectful to everyone.

“From the beginning, however, this case has not been about my ability to teach but about me being a Christian and believing in the Gospel and the Lordship of Jesus Christ.”

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which has supported Mr. Sutcliffe, is calling on the government to end discrimination against Christian teachers and others who express similar views.

“This is a tipping point. The government must step in and restore some sanity to the teaching profession. Similar action needs to be taken regarding the Teaching Regulation Agency,” she said.

“I am very concerned by how regulatory bodies are now punishing Christian teachers simply for stating the truth.

“The Christian viewpoint on sexual ethics and morality are no longer being tolerated in the classroom, and teachers who openly express it have their ability to teach removed by the regulatory body. This is serious and sinister.

“Removal from teaching usually involves serious misconduct and the crossing of boundaries, such as teachers having sexual affairs with pupils or some serious criminal activity. Nothing could be further from Joshua’s situation.”

She added, “The TRA has targeted an exceptional teacher because his Christian beliefs do not align with the new LGBTQ moral code, which will not tolerate dissent. This is deeply illiberal.”