JK Rowling has condemned a nursery that suspended a toddler for alleged transphobia, describing the decision as “totalitarian insanity”.
The Harry Potter author took to the social media platform X to express her outrage after it emerged that a child aged either three or four had been suspended from a state nursery.
The incident has sparked debate about discipline policies in early education settings.
The child was suspended for “abuse against sexual orientation and gender identity”, according to data from the Department for Education.
Details of the specific school or case were not disclosed, but the incident took place around three years ago.
The suspension was recorded during the 2022-23 academic year at a state school.
Reacting to the news, Rowling penned on X: “If you think small children should be punished for being able to recognise sex, you are a dangerous zealot who should be nowhere near kids or in any position of authority over them.”
Lord Young, director of the Free Speech Union, echoed this sentiment when speaking to the Telegraph, saying: “If your ideology is so rigid it justifies you punishing toddlers for not complying with it, that’s a powerful argument for discarding it in favour of something less dogmatic.”
The case appears to be part of a wider trend. Data reveals that 94 pupils at state primary schools were suspended or permanently excluded for transphobia or homophobia during the same academic year.
Of these, 10 were from Year 1 while three were in Year 2 – where the maximum possible age of students is just seven.
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This is totalitarian insanity. If you think small children should be punished for being able to recognise sex, you are a dangerous zealot who should be nowhere near kids or in any position of authority over them. https://t.co/IZI0sP58ss
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 31, 2025
Across all primary schools and state schools, the number of pupils suspended or expelled for homophobic or transphobic behaviour increased from 164 in 2021-22 to 178 in 2022-23.
Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at human-rights charity Sex Matters, strongly criticised the nursery’s decision.
“Every once in a while, the extremes of gender ideology throw up a story that seems too crazy to believe, and a toddler being suspended from nursery for so-called ‘transphobia’ or homophobia is one such example,” she said.
Joyce added that this was not an isolated case, noting that 13 children aged four and five had also been suspended for similar reasons.
“Teachers and school leaders involved in this insanity should be ashamed of themselves for projecting adult concepts and beliefs on to such young children,” she stated.
Essex saw the highest number of suspensions and exclusions for homophobia or transphobia, with 16 in the academic year 2022-23.
Birmingham followed closely with 15 cases, while Bradford took third place with 11, and Norfolk recorded eight.
The Department for Education has only tracked this data since the 2020-21 academic year.
In 2022, a Church of England school in the Isle of Wight warned a six-year-old boy’s parents that he might be deemed ‘transphobic’ if he were to question another pupil wearing a dress.
Students can face exclusions for multiple reasons, according to the data.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “All pupils and staff should feel safe and protected at school and should never face violence or abuse.”
“The Education Secretary has been clear that she expects school leaders to enforce good behaviour and we are committed to a comprehensive programme of behaviour support for schools.”
The spokesperson added: “Our Plan for Change sets out our relentless focus on making sure every child gets the best life chances, no matter their background, including establishing free breakfast clubs in every primary school, providing access to mental health support and making attendance one of the four core priorities of our school improvement teams.”
The case has drawn parallels to other controversies in education. In 2021, feminist professor Kathleen Stock was forced to leave the University of Sussex following criticism of her views on gender identity.
Last week, Sussex University was fined £585,000 for failing to uphold free speech in relation to Stock’s case – the largest fine ever given to a university.
Sally and Nigel Rowe previously raised concerns after their sons’ Church of England school warned that pupils could be labelled “transphobic” for questioning another child’s gender identity.
The Rowes claimed they received a letter stating children could face this label for showing “an inability to believe a transgender person is actually a ‘real’ female or male.”