Swindon teacher claims he was sacked for refusing to ‘socially transition’ student
Maths teacher Kevin Lister was dismissed by New College Swindon in September 2022
A Swindon teacher who was sacked for refusing to use a student’s chosen name and pronouns said his college was requiring him to “socially transition” the student, a tribunal has heard.
Maths teacher Kevin Lister was dismissed by New College Swindon in September 2022 and is appealing against a Bristol employment tribunal’s decision that he was not unfairly sacked or discriminated against for his views on gender.
The teacher at the Wiltshire further education college was asked to refer to a biologically female student, aged 17, by their preferred male name and he/him pronouns in A-level maths lessons.
When asked to make the change Mr Lister said he began to gesture to the student rather than use their name.
The Bristol tribunal concluded in 2024 that Mr Lister was dismissed for his conduct and expressing his beliefs in an “objectionable” manner.
At the employment appeal tribunal in London on Tuesday, Anna Loufti, representing Mr Lister, said the teacher had been required to “socially transition” the student, which he could not do because of his beliefs.
She said the Bristol tribunal had wrongly concluded that the school’s policy, which said students should be referred to by their chosen name and pronouns, did not have any “coercive” effect on Mr Lister.
Ms Loufti said Mr Lister was being required to “encourage and condone” the student’s transition, when he believed he had a duty to safeguard the student by discouraging it.
She said the school had not explored how the policy put the rights of transgender people and those with gender critical views in opposition.
Jude Shepherd, for the college, said that when asked to call the student by their new name Mr Lister had raised safeguarding concerns, asking if the student’s parents were in support and if they had been given counselling and advice.
She said he did not raise concerns at the time about “socially transitioning” the student by using the new name.
She said he did not seek assistance from the school about the student’s pronouns but “simply didn’t adhere with the student’s request”.
Ms Shepherd said Mr Lister wrote the student’s female birth name on a whiteboard in front of the class and said they could enter an all-female maths competition.
She said he also told the student they should not be burdening the NHS during the pandemic and that they would be a burden to their parents.
The Bristol tribunal heard Mr Lister also posted about his views on X, formerly Twitter, saying: “I am not going to call my #transgender students by their preferred name.
“To do so, (is to) support them killing the person they were.
“To call them by their preferred name is like telling a potential #suicide victim to jump off a cliff”.
The tribunal said other posts argued “sexual orientation was a choice, like whether one might want to play golf”, and that gay relationships were not “as valid” as straight ones “by definition”.
The hearing before Mr Justice Mansfield is due to conclude on Wednesday.