The deputy principal of a Canterbury all-boys school says it's supporting a student who now identifies as being "gender diverse".
In a statement to Newshub, Christ's College deputy principal Rob Donaldson said the school had been working with the student for "several months".
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Donaldson said the school had sought guidance from Qtopia - an organisation which supports rainbow youth in Christchurch.
"We put the wellbeing of our students above all other considerations and we ask people to respect the student's privacy choices.
"Our school's virtues - particularly respect and compassion - have guided us through this matter."
The compassion shown by the school has been praised by Qtopia.
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"A lot of thought has gone into this and everyone from the leadership right through to the staff and the students have been incredibly willing to navigate this process and transition together," executive director Alice Andersen told Stuff.
"The school has been really wonderful in preparing and supporting staff in being able to navigate these changes as well."
It's increasingly common for students to be taught about the existence of transgender people, as well as others who don't fit into a prescribed binary. Newshub reported this week there's also the practice of school children calling teachers by their first names, as Freemans Bay Primary and Bayswater Primary in Auckland have done for years.
Newshub.
