Michelle Dewberry says she will not apologise for "mocking adults that indulge fantasy ideology" in child gender row - ‘You will not bully me!’
GB News host Michelle Dewberry has issued a defiant message in the face of criticism of her stance on a pupil being dubbed “despicable” her their teacher for questioning a classmate for “identifying as a cat”.
A Church of England school teacher blasted a student as “despicable” for opting to challenge another student who identifies as feline.
The 13-year-old pupil and her friend were slammed by their teacher at Rye College in East Sussex on Friday.
Speaking on her GB News show Dewbs & Co on Monday, Michelle questioned where the “line is drawn” on self-identification as she donned a cat outfit.
She wore cat ears, painted on whiskers and even added a feline nose for the occasion as she addressed the controversial case.
Dewberry addressed the case again on Wednesday, saying she has received a series of “cruel” messages on social media suggesting she was “mocking” children with her display.
The 43-year-old delivered a resounding message on Dewbs & Co in the face of mounting criticism, saying she will not be “bullied”.
Michelle Dewberry 'identifies as a cat' in GB News appearanceGB NewsShe said: “I gave my opinion and the newspapers don’t seem to like what I had to say.
“Apparently I am ‘feeling the heat in the child gender row’. What has ensued on the back of this conversation is nothing but an absolute pile-on on social media.
“I have been called words that I won’t repeat at tea time, it will make your eyes water and your hair curl.
“You can imagine them, they’re not pleasant, one of the nicer words has been ‘scum’, I have been called a ‘child bully’, I ‘should be ashamed of myself’, I’m a ‘disgrace’.
I’ve got a message for you lot, you will not bully me.
“When people are prepared to speak out ono the absolute ridiculousness that is going on in our schools and beyond, a pile-on happens and people are shamed into being silenced and this weird ideology progresses as people can’t handle the pressure.
“I wasn't mocking children, I was mocking you the adults that indulge this fantasy ideology that will have real-world consequences, so no I will not be apologising, and I will not be backtracking either.”
It comes after it was revealed that the school at the centre of a row over children identifying as animals is facing a Government investigation, according to the Telegraph.
Downing Street told headteachers on Tuesday that they should not be teaching children that they can identify as cats or other animals.
A source close to Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “Teachers should not be teaching contested ideology as fact. They must have due regard to safeguarding if a pupil identifies as an animal.”