Schools must do their homework on how to support trans students

The landscape is not an entirely friendly one for trans youth in Ireland and it can be a minefield for schools when it comes to supporting students who wish to transition, with no clear guidelines in place, writes Jennifer Horgan

UCC LGBTQ+ Society protest in University College Cork, to highlight a need for more trans healthcare in Ireland. The landscape is not an entirely friendly one for trans youth in Ireland. There are scant services in the country. Picture: Larry Cummins

A representative body for 89% of Irish primary schools last week highlighted its opposition to any teaching of transgender issues to primary school children.

The Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) believes there is a lack of scientific consensus on transgender, and that teaching the topic only adds to “a growing psychological contagion” among children. While similar debates dominate Irish headlines, little attention is given to how schools currently deal with students who might question or reject their assigned sex at birth.