An 11-year-old schoolgirl in East London has been subjected to repeated misgendering and misnaming by a teacher at her school, Sir Bobby Moore Academy. Rae’An Duncan-Jones claims that her teacher continuously called her “Ryan” and referred to her using male pronouns, which led to her being ridiculed by other students.
Despite correcting the teacher, the girl was further shocked when another staff member questioned her, stating that they had been told she identified as male. The student’s family immediately withdrew her from the school and demanded a meeting with the head of the year, accusing the school of bullying. While the school has stated that it is committed to being an inclusive and welcoming institution and will investigate complaints, Rae’An claims the teacher continued to call her Ryan even after the incident had been reported.
Rueanne, the girl’s mother, claimed that the problem began when the teacher called out the register. When Rae’An tried to correct her teacher, she says she was ignored. Subsequently, the teacher continued to misgender and misname the girl, despite her repeated attempts to correct her. It was only when another teacher approached Rae’An and asked her about her pronouns that the issue was addressed. Rae’An’s sister, Shanaé, who attended the meeting with the school, described her feelings of anger and hurt. She had been concerned about her sister experiencing bullying at school but was shocked to learn that a teacher was responsible for causing distress.
