Online influencers, such as Andrew Tate, fuel a rise in sexism in the classroom, according to a new study by the British education union NASUWT.
The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers study comes after the Netflix series „Adolescence” highlighted concerns about the „incel” phenomenon, as reported by Sky News.
Andrew Tate's Influence in Classrooms
According to teachers, social media influencers are fueling a growth in misogyny and sexism in classrooms in the United Kingdom.
Andrew Tate was mentioned by several teachers who participated in the survey, stating that he had a negative influence on male students.
A female teacher confessed to having 10-year-old boys who refused to speak to her "because she is a woman."
Another teacher stated that "the Andrew Tate phenomenon had a huge impact on how students (from a boys' school) interacted with women and men they did not consider 'masculine'."
Another survey respondent stated that their school had experienced some incidents of "disrespectful language towards female staff, directly as a result of Andrew Tate's videos."
Over 5,800 teachers were interviewed in the survey conducted by the NASUWT union, with nearly three in five (59%) stating that they believe social media use has contributed to the deterioration of students' behavior.
Education Can Be the Antidote to Hate
The conclusions were published during the union's annual conference, taking place in Liverpool this weekend. A motion to be debated at the conference calls on the union's executive to collaborate with teachers "to assess the risk that extreme right-wing and populist movements pose to young people."
A spokesperson for the Department for Education stated that "education can be the antidote to hate, and the classroom should be a safe environment for sensitive subjects where critical thinking is encouraged. That is why we provide a range of resources to support teachers in navigating these challenging issues and why the curriculum review will examine the skills children need to develop in a rapidly changing online world."
Last month, Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted a discussion in Downing Street on how to prevent young boys from being drawn into a "whirlpool of hate and misogyny."
The discussions took place with the creators of the Netflix drama "Adolescence," which explored the so-called "incel" culture (the word, derived from the abbreviation of the term "involuntary celibacy," defines a member of an online subculture. Individuals associated with this subculture are considered unable to develop natural and harmonious romantic or strictly sexual relationships, although they desire them. Their rhetoric is generally marked by misogyny, narcissism, racism, and is in opposition to the feminist movement - ed.)
Teachers Cannot Be Left Alone
In the UK, even the Conservative opposition leader, Kemi Badenoch, revealed that her young cousin committed suicide after falling into an "Internet trap" and expressed "very much concern about social media." Conservatives have advocated for the banning of mobile phones in schools due to concerns about the impact of social media on children.
Patrick Roach, general secretary of the teachers' union, stated that teachers "cannot be left alone to deal with these issues."