A heated debate erupted between a teacher and two eighth-grade students at Rye College in East Sussex, UK, after the students expressed their opinions on gender identity. A secret recording captured the exchange, revealing the teacher's strong disagreement with the students' views.

The conflict began when the students questioned a classmate's gender identity. The teacher challenged their viewpoint, arguing that their perspective wasn't in line with the school's principles of equity and inclusion. The teacher asserted that gender is a matter of self-identification, not biological sex, and stated there are multiple genders, including the possibility of having no gender at all.

The students maintained their position, expressing that while they respected others' opinions, they didn't agree with the concept of multiple genders. One student argued that their mother shared their view that biological sex and gender are the same. The teacher responded by calling this viewpoint "sad." She further labeled the students' belief that there are only two genders as "despicable."

The teacher went on to threaten the students with disciplinary action, suggesting they attend a different school if they didn't accept the school's stance on gender identity. She also stated she would report them to the assistant headteacher and emphasized the need for them to have a proper educational conversation about equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Rye College, part of the Aquinas Trust, responded to the incident with a statement affirming their commitment to inclusive education. They emphasized their practice of listening to students' views and encouraging open discussion. The Trust also committed to reviewing their processes to prevent similar incidents in the future.