School and council pay out pound;4,000 to transsexual for rejecting her after the first day. James Bennett reports
Natasha Thoday, a transsexual supply teacher, will be travelling in style to her next job. She will be going to work in a Mercedes she bought with almost pound;4,000 compensation she won after a primary school accepted it had discriminated against her.
Ms Thoday, 35, from Brighton, East Sussex, was told she was not welcome back after completing only the first day of a three-week placement at Telscombe Cliffs primary school, East Sussex, in March. She launched proceedings under the Sex Discrimination Act and last week received an out-of-court settlement of pound;3,780, which was paid jointly by the school and East Sussex County Council.
“I was delighted, and I decided to treat myself to a car,” said Ms Thoday. “But really it’s not about the money - it’s about justice and basic human rights.”
She insists there was no justification for terminating her employment. “One kid had started calling me `sir’ - that happens now and then and I can deal with it,” she said. “And I heard that another pupil, a Year 8 girl, asked the staff,‘Is our new teacher a transsexual like Hayley in Coronation Street?’ But I felt the day went well.
“Then in the evening I had a call from my agency saying the school didn’t want me back.”
Ms Thoday has spent this week lobbying ministers and MPs at the Labour party conference, seeking support for legislation to give full legal and civil recognition to transsexuals. “At the moment, my birth certificate says I am a man, and this is the only country in Europe where that happens.”
Ms Thoday began the transition from man to woman in 1999, culminating in surgery at the end of last year. Ms Thoday has taught in schools throughout East Sussex since taking her postgraduate certificate in education at Brighton Polytechnic 15 years ago.
She began teaching as a woman at the start of this year. “I taught in several schools and had no problem,” she said. “My agency would tell schools that I was transsexual, and everything was fine - until March.”
Andrew Kearsey, the school’s head, declined to comment on the case, but a spokesman for East Sussex council said: “The headteacher recognises there was a breach of the law.
“The council will be sending out a circular reminding schools of the equal opportunities laws to ensure a breach doesn’t occur again.”
Since March, Ms Thoday has taught without incident at schools including Boundstone secondary school near Lancing and Steyning grammar school.
She teaches all ages over a wide range of subjects but has particular expertise in special needs. “I suppose it’s because I’ve always been an outsider and can empathise,” she said.
Ms Thoday feels “passionate” about teaching, and is determined to carry on. She hopes her case will make other head teachers think twice before discriminating against transsexuals.
“Hopefully, this case will help prevent other transsexual teachers having to go through the same thing. And if it happens to me again, I’ll have a Rolls-Royce next time,” she said.
Aprofile of Ms Thoday will appear in next week’s Friday magazine.
