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When parents send their children to school, they must have the utmost confidence that they will be safe.
They implicitly trust teachers to act in loco parentis, that is, to care for all students as if they were their own children.
But a damning report today by think tank Policy Exchange reveals that, in a worrying number of cases, this is not happening.
Many secondary schools, fueled by ideologically driven gender bigotry, are accused of endangering the well-being of children by flagrantly violating safeguarding rules.
Alarmingly, seven in ten schools said that if a child announced they were trans, their parents would not be informed.
Many secondary schools, driven by ideologically driven gender bigotry, are accused of endangering the well-being of children by flagrantly flouting safeguarding rules (file photo)
It is difficult to think of a worse abrogation of responsibility. Not only does this break the sacred bond between parent and child, but if a teacher without psychological experience encourages social transition, there is a risk of putting the student on the path of irreversible medical treatment that he or she may later regret.
It is also deeply worrying that so many schools have eliminated single-sex bathrooms and locker rooms. Regardless of what transgender ideologues say, this puts girls in greater danger from predatory male students.
Teachers who question this strange gender dogma, often driven by the Stonewall lobby, get into terrible trouble: they face a reprimand or worse.
When guidance from schools on trans students is so needed, it is inexcusable that Education Secretary Gillian Keegan is dragging her feet. Every day the Government dithers, the well-being of children is sacrificed for the sake of identity politics.
Mad race to net zero
One of the great advantages of Brexit was finally regaining control of our laws.
However, did anyone think that departing from EU rules would mean accelerating, not slowing down, the mad race to net zero?
Under the Government’s ‘green’ strategy, a ban on new petrol and diesel cars will begin in 2030, rented homes face tough energy efficiency targets and there will be greater reliance on solar and wind power.
But how much will it cost, who will pay, and will it even be successful? Nobody denies global warming. But the UK is responsible for just 1 per cent of global CO2 emissions.
We need policies based on rational analysis, not the hysteria of climate alarmists. We need to guarantee energy security and not become impoverished.
Our green dream should be the springboard to take a leap forward, not a leap in the dark.
Under the Government’s “green” strategy, the ban on new petrol and diesel cars will begin in 2030 (file photo)
Victory for freedom of expression
Of the many threats posed to press freedom – and by extension democracy – perhaps the most insidious is Section 40 of the Crimes and Courts Act.
Drafted after the Leveson inquiry by politicians exposed as spending cheats, this draconian piece of legislation would force newspapers outside state regulation (i.e. the vast majority) to pay the legal costs of anyone who sues. , win or lose!
A monstrous reversal of justice, this would have a chilling effect on investigative journalism and hand criminals a weapon to silence criticism.
It is a huge victory for free speech that Lucy Frazer, the impressive Culture Secretary, has committed to repealing Section 40.
The only losers from the elimination of such an unjust law are those who have things to hide.
- In another self-serving intervention, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey demanded a crackdown on pension funds’ use of liability-based investments, which brought the British economy to the brink of collapse last autumn. However, the Bank itself ignored repeated warnings about its dangers. Back in 2017, Lord Wolfson warned that they were a “ticking time bomb”. The next boss is known for his insightful economic analysis. If only Mr. Bailey possessed such admirable qualities!