A former teacher is suing the British government after being banned from working with children over allegations of gender misconduct toward students, the Daily Mail reports.
The lawsuit by Kevin Lister, 61, centers on his refusal to call female students by male pronouns or by male names without the consent of the student's parents. according to To the outlet. He argued that the decision not only imposes severe personal and professional restrictions, but also confuses his actions with those of individuals who pose a serious threat to children. The lawsuit went all the way to a higher court, the paper said.
“My appeal was lodged in the Upper Tribunal against DBS, with the exception of me following New College Swindon’s safeguarding policy,” Mr Lister said. X (Formerly Twitter).
Ms Lister was expelled from the College of Higher Education and subsequently placed on the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) child exclusion list. DBS justified the action by accusing Mr Lister of endangering the welfare of students by his actions which allegedly caused “distress” and “emotional harm”, the newspaper reported.
My appeal was lodged in the Upper Tribunal against DBS, except for me following New College Swindon's safeguarding policy.
https://t.co/VCyrFedujl via https://t.co/KQzCxxcV8d— Kevin Lister (@KevsTribulation) January 21, 2024
The legal challenge, represented by lawyer Anna Routfi, aims to overturn DBS's decision. Mr Lister claimed the authority's decision breached the Equality Act 2010 by discriminating against his belief that biological sex is immutable, the newspaper reported. The paper said he framed the action as part of a broader fight for teachers' right to express gender-critical views without facing punitive action. (Related: Watch the moment a teenager who murdered his teacher over poor grades receives life sentence)
In response, DBS clarified its position and emphasized its role in implementing safeguarding policies in educational settings, the paper said. The agency argued that the decision to ban was based on a comprehensive assessment of potential harm, including the psychological impact, and was not limited to cases of physical abuse.
