UK: Christian teacher who misgendered trans pupil is banned from profession

A Christian teacher in the U.K. has been banned from his profession indefinitely after being found guilty by a regulator of misgendering a trans pupil and expressing his views against gay marriage.

Joshua Sutcliffe, a 33-year-old former math teacher, was found by the Teaching Regulation Authority (TRA) to have failed to treat a pupil with “dignity and respect” after addressing a group of female pupils that included one student who identified as a boy.

The case stretches back to 2017 when Mr. Sutcliffe, then a teacher at The Cherwell School in Oxfordshire, said, “Well done, girls,” to a class after a math lesson, upsetting a trans pupil in the cohort. He claimed to have apologized immediately for the unintentional faux pas.

In its findings, the TRA concluded that it was probable Mr. Sutcliffe had misgendered the pupil on a number of occasions during his time at the school.

The Christian teacher was suspended pending an investigation at the time of the incident, before resigning from his position and initiating legal proceedings against the school for constructive dismissal, a claim that was settled out of court.

Other allegations were also found to be credible by the TRA, and Mr. Sutcliffe was subsequently found guilty of misconduct for voicing views opposing gay marriage, claiming that men are no longer masculine enough, and stating that Muslims have a false understanding of God because Muhammad is a “false prophet.”

He was dismissed from a second school in London in 2019.

“The panel was satisfied that the conduct of Mr. Sutcliffe fell significantly short of the standard of behavior expected of a teacher,” the TRA ruling stated.

“In my view, it is necessary to impose a prohibition order in order to maintain public confidence in the profession,” added Alan Meyrick, the TRA’s chief executive.

Mr. Sutcliffe, who regularly preaches his Christian beliefs on the streets, was handed an indefinite ban from teaching in schools across England, a ruling he can apply to have removed in 2025.