New Zealand teacher has license revoked after refusing to use preferred name of transgender student

(Worthy News) – A New Zealand Disciplinary Tribunal has revoked the teaching certificate of a Christian man who refused to use the preferred name of a transgender student, the New Zealand Herald (NZH) reports.

The Christian math teacher, whose name and school have not been publicized, was referred to the Complaints Assessment Committee of the Teaching Council of Aotearoa, New Zealand, following a complaint from a 14-year-old student who was transitioning from girl to boy, NZH reports. The complaint ensued after the teacher refused to use the student’s preferred name and pronoun. When the student suggested a compromise of using just the preferred name but continuing to use she/her pronouns, the teacher said this would be to “go down a path of sin,” and he refused.

In February, the teacher was brought before a Disciplinary Tribunal, where he represented himself, NZH reports. The teacher explained he would be committing child abuse if he used the student’s chosen name and pronouns. The teacher then went on to detail his opposition to homosexuality and to his belief that abortion at any stage is murder.

Finding that the student should not have had to try and negotiate a compromise and that the teacher was guilty of serious misconduct, the Tribunal wrote: “For a trusted adult teacher to not only ignore the student’s wishes and the instruction of the school but also to isolate them and advise them it was wrong, risked quite significant harm. He is entitled to his views and religious beliefs.  What we must do is consider whether he has insight and rehabilitative prospects that we could address.  In our view, there is a real and appreciable risk that such conduct, or similar conduct, will be repeated by [the teacher] if he was to be in that position again. Indeed, given [the teacher’s] statements to us, we would say that it is quite likely to occur again in similar circumstances.” 

The Tribunal canceled the teacher’s registration and ordered him to pay costs, NZH reports.

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