Open letter to Jenny Gilruth

We have sent this letter to our Scottish Minister for Education as we continue to have major concerns about the Scottish Government's updated guidance, Supporting Transgender Pupils in Schools. The guidance is neither appropriate nor helpful regarding effective support for the wellbeing of all children. As can be evidenced in our letter, we have written extensively explaining why our view is that the Scottish Government is creating an educational context which compromises safeguarding. We point out that the Scottish Government has refused to engage with us as established experts in the field of children's development and yet it engages consistently with activists promoting an ideology. 

Ms Jenny Gilruth,

Cabinet Secretary for Education,

Scottish Parliament,

Edinburgh,

EH99 1SP

October 17th 2025

Dear Ms Gilruth,

I am writing on behalf of ScotPAG. We are a group of Scottish professionals from the fields of Education, Health, and Social Work. We wrote to you 8th July regarding our concerns about the guidance, Supporting Transgender Pupils in Schools. You did not respond other than an acknowledgment of receipt.

The updated guidance published recently, continues to concern us significantly for the reasons outlined below,

A Manifesto for Confusion

10 False Claims Refuted

The updated guidance does not improve on the previous guidance and creates potential safeguarding issues, as outlined by Dr J Cunningham, a retired paediatrician. (Link to article)

To date, the Scottish Government has refused to listen or consult with professionals knowledgeable about child development and has preferred to listen to activists. There is also growing concern and anger amongst many families regarding harm already caused to their children and their family life.

We would welcome a meeting with you to discuss issues further.

Yours sincerely,

Carolyn Brown ScotPAG Convenor & retired Depute Principal Psychologist

Co-signatories

Carole McKenzie, Retired Director of Education and former HMI Inspector of schools

June Campbell, Retired Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist

Dr Jenny Cunningham, Retired Paediatrician

Dr Brigid Daniel, Professor Emerita

Dr Angela Dixon, Retired GP

Pauline Fox, Retired Clinical Nurse Specialist/Team lead

Dr xxxx xxxxx, Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Maggie Mellon, Senior Social Worker