Children identifying as cats are wearing ‘tails and ears’ in class, Britain’s headteacher has warned. Katharine Birbalsingh cautioned that adult authority ‘is long gone’ as more children are being allowed to identify as animals in school. It comes after a 13-year-old girl was branded ‘despicable’ by her teacher for rejecting her classmate’s claim that she ‘identified’ as a cat. The ‘tiger headmistress’ and founder of the Michaela Community free school in Wembley, London, made the comments during a speech at NatCon last month. Dubbed Britain’s strictest head, she said: ‘Do you know that some kids identify as “furries”?
‘Elon Musk is correct you all have no idea just how bad things are in schools and you ignore the vital and crucial roles schools play in shaping our society’s culture.
‘There are kids right now, in some schools, with tails and ears pinned to their heads and bottoms.
‘This isn’t fancy dress, they identify as cats, you see. Kids aren’t allowed to wear trainers to school but they are allowed to wear ears and tails because that’s their chosen identity.
‘That’s how they feel they belong.
‘Adult authority is long gone.’
It comes after a teacher sparked outrage after dismissing a pupil’s view that gender is binary as ‘despicable’ and ‘very sad’. Downing Street on Tuesday cautioned teachers against showing off their liberal credentials by silencing ‘valid discussions’ on trans issues and related matters. And Education Secretary Gillian Keegan is said to have instructed the Department for Education’s regional director to visit the school to ensure guidelines are being followed. The DfE is expected to publish its long-anticipated trans guidance for schools in the coming weeks. A spokesman for Rye College said: ‘Whilst we are not aware at this stage of any plans for a visit from the Department for Education, we will continue to keep them proactively updated on this situation and would of course support any enquiries they may have. ‘We are committed to offering our pupils an inclusive education.
‘Teachers endeavour to ensure that pupils’ views are listened to, and encourage them to ask questions and engage in discussion. Teachers also aim to answer questions sensitively and honestly.
‘We strive to uphold the highest standards across the school. We are reviewing our processes and working with the relevant individuals to ensure such events do not take place in the future.’