After significant delays, a Nottingham employment tribunal in the United Kingdom has begun hearing the case of a Christian teacher dismissed after raising safeguarding concerns about an 8-year-old child “transitioning” under her school’s policies.
Known in filings as “Hannah,” the teacher claims she was dismissed for her refusal to affirm policies that she believed endangered children and conflicted with her Christian beliefs.
The tribunal is examining allegations of unfair dismissal, victimization for whistleblowing and discrimination on religious grounds brought against Nottinghamshire County Council, which operates the school, reports the Christian Legal Centre, which supports Hannah.
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The hearing follows the collapse of an earlier hearing due to a panel member’s social media posts that demonstrated anti-Christian bias. According to CLC, reporting restrictions prevent Hannah’s full identity from being revealed. Her legal team has applied for these restrictions to be lifted during the hearing.
More recently, a tribunal panel member, Chris Tansley, the former president of the trade union Unison, was removed due to potential bias stemming from his prior employment with Nottinghamshire County Council and his public support for pro-trans causes.
“Mr Tansley should be removed from the tribunal,” Employment Judge Peter McTigue wrote in response to a motion filed by Hannah’s lawyers. “Hypothetical observer would believe the ‘risk was more than minimal.’ Given the sensitive nature of this case and that Mr Tansley was paid by the respondent up until 2023 he should be removed for ‘apparent bias.'”
Hannah’s concerns first emerged in 2021 when she was instructed to address an 8-year-old student, referred to as Child X, by a new name and pronouns as part of the school’s “trans-affirming” policy.
The policy, implemented under the guidance of a Stonewall Champion from the local authority, required social transitioning without medical evidence and allowed children to use facilities matching their affirmed gender. Hannah argued that such practices lacked adequate safeguarding measures and potentially harmed Child X and other students.
Despite following proper safeguarding protocols and providing expert evidence, Hannah’s concerns were dismissed by school leadership, governors and the local authority. She contends that she had no choice but to escalate the matter, ultimately seeking a judicial review of the school’s policies.
However, her decision to disclose the situation to her legal team resulted in her dismissal, with the school claiming she had shared confidential information.
Stonewall, an LGBT advocacy organization in the U.K., received roughly $629,000 over the past three years from the U.S. government’s Global Equality Fund, but it now faces substantial financial strain as the funding has been withdrawn under the Trump administration.
A 2023 report by Policy Exchange supported Hannah’s stance, concluding that many schools disregard safeguarding principles in favor of contested beliefs about gender identity. The report warned that such practices threaten the well-being and safety of children.
Hannah maintains that her actions were driven by a duty of care to her students.
“I followed all the correct procedures … and believed the action I took was in the public interest,” she said. “Teachers are being bullied not to question trans-affirming policies,” she added.
The tribunal is also addressing procedural issues that have plagued the case.
Last year, the original hearing collapsed after a panel member, Jed Purkis, was found to have made anti-Christian and anti-conservative statements on social media.
His comments, which included derogatory remarks about Christians, led to a formal rebuke from the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office.
The CLC has criticized the delays and alleged bias in the tribunal process.
Andrea Williams, the organization’s chief executive, described Hannah as “courageous” for exposing the risks of trans-affirmation policies in schools.
“For years, parents and teachers who have raised safeguarding concerns over these issues have been ignored and disbelieved despite clear expert evidence demonstrating the harm trans affirmation causes,” she said.
Williams argued that society has lost its moral compass regarding issues of human sexuality and identity. She pointed to the increasing reluctance of schools and teachers to challenge trans-affirmation policies for fear of being labeled transphobic or facing professional repercussions.
The tribunal is expected to rule on whether to lift the reporting restrictions on Hannah’s identity before proceeding with the substantive elements of the case.
