A primary school in Beeston, Nottingham, has imposed an eight-month ban on a mother from its playground after she expressed concerns regarding the teaching of gender identity issues to pupils. Karina Conway, 42, a mother of two, raised objections to the way gender identity, including transgender issues, was being communicated to students, particularly those as young as nine.
The controversy arose at Sunnyside Spencer Academy, where Conway alleged that students were being informed that transgender identity is a protected characteristic. According to Conway, this understanding contradicts her interpretation of the Equality Act, which she asserts does not specifically mention the concept of gender identity but refers to protection against discrimination based on gender reassignment.
In September 2024, Conway was instructed to stay away from the playground for eight months. The school's conditional lifting of this ban is contingent upon her agreement not to criticise the institution online. "This trust is silencing the voices of parents who know sex is real and when it matters, it really matters," Conway stated in an interview with The Telegraph.
The tension escalated earlier when Conway, alongside women's rights activist Kellie-Jay Keen, protested outside the school in 2023. The situation prompted teachers to alert the police due to concerns regarding the protest. Conway's initial complaint to the school was triggered by her belief that students were being taught inaccuracies about the Equality Act's stance on gender issues. In correspondence with the school, she claims that they acknowledged certain shortcomings in their teaching methods but cautioned her to limit further contact or risk legal action.
In June 2023, Conway had an opportunity to voice her concerns during an Ofsted inspection, but claimed that her complaints yielded no constructive follow-up actions. Following the inspection, she submitted a subject access request to Ofsted to obtain correspondence regarding her family’s interaction with the school and the Spencer Academies Trust. This request revealed that the school had previously described Conway as a "parent expressing [she] does not want her child to be exposed to gender identity and has transphobic views."
In correspondence received from the director of primary education at Spencer Academies Trust, Conway was informed that her ban could be lifted if she communicated in advance about any events she planned to attend, allowing staff to prepare for her presence. Additionally, she was instructed to refrain from posting negative comments regarding the school and its staff on social media platforms. The trust expressed that “teachers feel nervous when interacting with you… particularly when the discussion is raising a concern.”
Sunnyside Spencer Academy and the Spencer Academies Trust have been approached for comments regarding this situation but have not yet publicly responded. The events reflect ongoing national debates over how educational institutions address issues of gender and identity within school curricula.
Source: Noah Wire Services