Trans boy removed from classroom after months of pressure from anti-LGBTQ+ parents
A trans boy has been forcibly removed from an Israeli school following months of disgusting anti-trans pressure by parents.
The country’s Education Ministry announced on Tuesday (24 January) the student was to be removed from a religious school in central Israel midway through the academic year.
The parents of the child told Israel’s public broadcaster they planned to appeal the decision and that it was a punishment for “who he is”.
Controversy arose in September 2022 after the trans boy was forcibly outed to the community without his consent.
Rather than treating the public outing of a child with respect, parents instead chose to stage an anti-LGBTQ+ protest outside of the school.
This group of transphobic parents, who routinely disregarded the feelings of the child, then began desperate attempts to try and force him out of school.
Some parents failed to move their children to different schools, while others sent multiple complaints to school administrators.
Some began to make assertions that their own children had suddenly started to develop “many psychological issues” by merely being around the trans boy, while others even claimed their children had started to “wet the bed”.
A “breakaway” classroom outside of the school was then created by rabbi Eliyahu in January following the Hanukkah break.
During a collective video call with the parents, Eliyahu said: “You are the spearhead to this very important battle and we must all mobilise and stand behind you.”
Finally, after multiple complaints and attempts to prevent a trans child from simply existing, the Education Ministry decided to remove the boy from school.
It denied accusations of transphobia in making the move, saying: “This is a complicated, unique, and sensitive case – and the ministry and the educational team is working only for the good of the student.”
It could not share information about whether the child would be moved to another school due to child privacy laws.
‘Very serious harm to a small boy’
LGBTQ+ rights group Hoshen said in a statement: “This ministry decided that political and social considerations are more important than the safety and wellbeing of a small boy.
“You promised above all that there would be no harm to LGBTQ+ people, and this morning, you allowed very serious harm to come to a small boy.”
Prime minister Netanyahu had insisted that he would not allow harm to come to LGBTQ+ people after the appointment of Israel’s first gay speaker caused controversy among anti-LGBTQ+ politicians.
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