Rye College is currently investigating an incident in which a teacher referred to a student as “despicable” for disagreeing with a classmate’s identification as a cat. The exchange, which took place during a Year 8 life lesson at the East Sussex Church of England school, was recorded and leaked online. The school confirmed that they are reviewing the incident to prevent similar events from occurring in the future. In the recording, the teacher admonishes the student for their remarks and accuses them of questioning the classmate’s identity. The student clarifies that they were only discussing gender and had not made any derogatory comments. The teacher argues that gender is not determined by biological sex and suggests that the student’s viewpoint is “despicable.” Two other pupils can be heard disagreeing with the teacher, leading to a tense conversation that extends for several minutes. The leaked recording has generated a wave of negative comments on the school’s Facebook page. Some social media users have praised the students for challenging the teacher’s views on sex and gender. The school has limited comments on its social media posts in response to the controversy. In a statement, Rye College and the Aquinas Trust express their commitment to inclusive education and state that they will review their processes and work with the individuals involved to prevent similar incidents in the future.