JK Rowling wades in on trans toddler row calling decision to suspend young pupil ‘totalitarian insanity’

JK Rowling has described a decision to suspend a toddler from nursery after they were accused of transphobia or homophobia as ‘totalitarian insanity’.

The Harry Potter author said that any adult who punishes a toddler for recognising biological sex is a ‘dangerous zealot’ and should not be allowed near children.

It comes after a child, aged either three or four, was suspended for ‘abuse against sexual orientation and gender identity’, data from the Department for Education shows.

It was revealed in figures which showed that 94 pupils at primary schools were suspended or permanently excluded for transphobia or homophobia in the same year.

This included 10 pupils from Year 1 and three from Year 2, where the maximum age is seven, and one child was of nursery age.

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has described a decision to suspend a toddler from nursery after they were accused of transphobia or homophobia as ‘totalitarian insanity’

The child, aged either three or four, was suspended for ‘abuse against sexual orientation and gender identity’ (file image)

All of the recorded incidents took place in the 2022-23 academic year at a state school, according to the Telegraph.

Reacting to the news, the 59-year-old author and women’s rights campaigner described it as ‘totalitarian insanity’.

Posting on X, she said: ‘If you think small children should be punished for being able to recognise sex, you are a dangerous zealot who should be nowhere near kids or in any position of authority over them.’

The revelation has attracted condemnation from other women’s rights groups.

Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at human-rights charity Sex Matters, said: ‘Every once in a while, the extremes of gender ideology throw up a story that seems too crazy to believe, and a toddler being suspended from nursery for so-called “transphobia” or homophobia is one such example.

‘Teachers and school leaders involved in this insanity should be ashamed of themselves for projecting adult concepts and beliefs on to such young children.’

Across all primary schools and state schools, the number of pupils suspended or expelled for homophobic or transphobic behaviour increased from 164 in 2021-22 to 178 in 2022-23, the figures reveal.

The largest number of suspensions for homophobia or transphobia in 2022-23 was in Essex, with 16, followed by Birmingham, 15, Bradford, 11 and Norfolk, eight.

The data on pupils suspended or expelled for homophobic or transphobic behaviour has only been collected since the 2020-21 academic year. Students can be excluded for multiple reasons. 

Statistics indicate 94 pupils at similar primary institutions were suspended or permanently excluded for transphobia or homophobia in the same year (file image)

Nigel and Sally Rowe have objected to the guidance being given at their two sons’ Church of England school

Lord Young, director of the Free Speech Union, told the Telegraph: ‘I would have thought that if your ideology is so rigid it justifies you punishing toddlers for not complying with it, that’s a powerful argument for discarding it in favour of something less dogmatic.’

The Department for Education said: ‘All pupils and staff should feel safe and protected at school and should never face violence or abuse.

‘The Education Secretary has been clear that she expects school leaders to enforce good behaviour and we are committed to a comprehensive programme of behaviour support for schools.

‘Our Plan for Change sets out our relentless focus on making sure every child gets the best life chances.’

In 2022, a Church of England school in the Isle of Wight warned a six-year-old boy’s parents that he might be deemed ‘transphobic’ if he were to question another pupil wearing a dress.

Sally and Nigel Rowe, whose sons attended a Church of England school, said they received a letter from the headteacher and chair of governors which declared pupils could be designated the term if they showed ‘an inability to believe a transgender person is actually a ”real” female or male.’

They claimed the letter also added that refusing to use a transgender pupil’s adopted name or gender appropriate pronouns would be considered ‘transphobic behaviour’.

Transphobia rows in education came to a head in 2021 when feminist professor Kathleen Stock was ‘cancelled’ and forced to leave the University of Sussex in 2021.

Her offences included stating in 2020 that ‘the claim “transwomen are women” is fiction, not literally true’ and ‘spaces where women undress and sleep should remain genuinely single-sex in order to protect them’.

Last week, Sussex was charged £585,000 for its failure to uphold free speech – the largest fine ever given to a university.

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