A transgender girl was recently removed from a religious school in central Israel due to months of anti-trans pressure from the parents of other students. The country’s Education Ministry made the announcement on Tuesday, January 24th, amid growing controversy surrounding the student’s treatment.
In September 2022, the trans girl was publicly outed without her consent, leading to a series of anti-LGBTQ+ protests outside the school by a group of transphobic parents. These parents disregarded the child’s feelings and made repeated attempts to have her removed from the school, making false claims about the negative effects of her presence on their own children. Despite these efforts, the girl remained enrolled until the Education Ministry stepped in to remove her.
The move by the Education Ministry was met with criticism from LGBTQ+ rights group Hoshen, who claimed in a statement that “political and social considerations” were prioritized over the safety and wellbeing of the girl. The Ministry has denied accusations of transphobia, stating that it was acting in the best interests of the student, but did not reveal information about a potential transfer to another school due to child privacy laws.