A UK toddler has been suspended from nursery school for allegedly displaying “transphobic” behaviour. This decision has caused outrage among many, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who doesn’t support such measures. Likewise, author JK Rowling, who’s also an infamous TERF, has also slammed the decision, calling it “totalitarian insanity.”

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

The incident reportedly occurred during the 2022-2023 school year, when the 3 or 4-year-old child was suspended from a state primary school for “abuse against sexual orientation and gender identity.” However, the exact details of the situation were not shared.

As first reported by The Telegraph, a Downing Street spokesperson stated: “Obviously, the Prime Minister would not support those sorts of measures. But equally, I don’t know the specific incident.” They added, “Pupils and staff should never be subject to abuse, but any action taken to tackle behaviour should also be proportionate.”

The Department for Education (DfE) reported that, during that academic year, 94 primary school students across the UK were suspended or expelled for transphobic or homophobic behaviour, with ten of those children being just 7 years old or younger.

These findings are also showing that children as young as five are being expelled from schools due to a surge in violent behaviour. During the 2022-2023 academic year, 3,599 young children in reception and nursery were either suspended or expelled for physically assaulting adults. An additional 1,890 were excluded for attacking their peers, according to figures obtained by The Telegraph.

However, many people, including prominent advocates for children’s rights, expressed disbelief over the suspension. Helen Joyce, director of advocacy for Sex Matters, called the situation “unforgivable,” adding, “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 for so-called transphobia or homophobia is one such example.” She also pointed out that 13 children as young as 4 or 5 had been suspended or permanently excluded for similar reasons.

A DfE spokesperson defended the decision, stating, “All pupils and staff should feel safe and protected at school and should never face violence or abuse.”

Meanwhile, no surprise here, JK Rowling couldn’t resist weighing in. She tweeted, “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.”

The suspension of a toddler for allegedly displaying transphobic behaviour sheds light on a deeper issue: the responsibility of parents in shaping their children’s views. At such a young age, children are simply reflecting on what they hear and see at home. It’s not just about what they learn in school; it’s about what they absorb from the adults around them.

The rise in homophobic language and behaviour isn’t something that appears in a vacuum. It’s often a direct result of attitudes modelled at home.