Summary

Social media influencers are fuelling a rise in misogyny and sexism in the UK’s classrooms, according to teachers.

More than 5,800 teachers were polled… and nearly three in five (59%) said they believe social media use has contributed to a deterioration in pupils’ behaviour.

One teacher said she’d had 10-year-old boys “refuse to speak to [her]…because [she is] a woman”. Another said “the Andrew Tate phenomena had a huge impact on how [pupils] interacted with females and males they did not see as ‘masculine’”.

“There is an urgent need for concerted action… to safeguard all children and young people from the dangerous influence of far-right populists and extremists.”

  • andros_rex@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    79
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    2 days ago

    “In a secondary English class last year, a group of boys opted, despite discouragement, to write a persuasive essay on why Andrew Tate is the GOAT (greatest of all time) which included praise of his view that women are a man’s property… all of the parents were contacted and were appalled.”

    When I worked in a middle school a couple years back, I heard the Tate shit there. Had a student who would name their Kahoot something like “[female students name] has a nice ass” and administration would refuse to allow me to impose consequences.

    If you are around teen boys, please talk to them about Tate. He’s not someone who should be walking free, and he’s not someone children should be listening to.

    • Jaysyn@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      1 day ago

      I’ve already raised 3 wonderful & respectful children into mostly functional men, but if I had ever gotten a call like that, the child in question wouldn’t have had a phone or seen another webpage until after they moved out as an adult.

      • Revan343@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        53
        arrow-down
        4
        ·
        2 days ago

        This shitheaded take is how we ended up with the failing society that we have

        • pablodaniel@lemmings.worldBanned from community
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          arrow-down
          6
          ·
          2 days ago

          No, unchecked consumerism is how we ended up with the society we have.

          Andrew tate keeps getting rewarded with sex because he has money. He has no reason to change and never will until the pussy faucet gets turned off.

          Maybe he wouldn’t be such a ‘role model’ if he had a harder time getting laid. Not sure what we can do about that, though.

          • supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            8
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            edit-2
            1 day ago

            Maybe he wouldn’t be such a ‘role model’ if he had a harder time getting laid. Not sure what we can do about that, though

            Andrew Tate is a rapist, what we did about it was put him in jail, and then we put conservative rapists in power who find solidarity with Andrew Tate, this isn’t rocket science how we got here.

          • jabjoe@feddit.uk
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            6
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            1 day ago

            “Sex is for making children. Any man who has sex with women because it ‘feels good’ is gay. Oh my pee pee feels good this is great!”

            Why any teenage boy would hear that and not unsubscribe is beyond me. They are the other way round. They don’t want children, they just want sex with women. That’s normal for a heterosexual teenage boy.

            • pablodaniel@lemmings.worldBanned from community
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              arrow-down
              2
              ·
              1 day ago

              Weird, looks like tate himself doesn’t only have sex for children.

              Seems like your cherrypicking is just that, cherrypicking.

              • jabjoe@feddit.uk
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                4
                ·
                1 day ago

                Literally his own words. About his only words that got to my feeds. I keep my feeds clear as I can of Nazi/MAGA/misogyny/toxic stuff.

      • AppleTea@lemmy.zip
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        53
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        2 days ago

        part of being an adult is doing the work in front of you that needs doing, regardless of "ought"s "supposed to"s

        we all benefit from the next generation learning to treat others properly, regardless of our own parental status

      • Manticore@lemmy.nz
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        26
        ·
        2 days ago

        Sure, but the children are people; they do not have the experience of wisdom to make choices and rely on adults to teach them wisdom from their experience.

        It’s not your job, but those kids are the ones paying for their parents’ value system, and so the adults teaching them aren’t teaching them well. Children are people, and are being let down. Theyre not kitset projects for parents.

        One day those people will be expected to make their own choices, and the only foundation they’ll have to decide with is what they’re taught now. It’s not your job, but it’s everybody’s civic responsibility to contribute to a healthier collective society, and children are a part of that.

      • itsprobablyfine@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        25
        ·
        2 days ago

        Actually when you live in a democracy it is. Or at least, if you don’t you still get the consequences when these kids start voting.

      • el_bhm@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        17
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        2 days ago

        If a psychopath has an influence over children in their formative years, it is your absolute responsibility to educate the kid and the parents.

          • andros_rex@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            4
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            1 day ago

            Yeah, as a trans person around children, I do awful things like use my influence to encourage children to spend more time taking walks in nature and teach young boys that girls are humans too.

            Truly equivalent to the influence of Andrew Tate.

      • PlaidBaron@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        39
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        2 days ago

        If youre a teacher you need to quit. Now.

        No it isnt our job to raise someone else’s kids but it is our job to educate them. Not just on curriculum. Teaching isnt just shoving curriculum down students’ throats, calling it a day, and getting your summer vacation.

        Our job is to help students succeed as people. The curriculum is one small part of that. Being a role model and teaching kids how to be better people is a part of that. If you didnt sign up for that, find another job.

        The world is full of shit teachers and I cannot stand teachers who dont take this job seriously enough to understand the responsibility it comes with. Do better or find different work. For your sake and the sake of your students.

        • Lady Butterfly @lazysoci.al
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          5
          ·
          1 day ago

          Plus safeguarding is a really important part of teaching. These children need to be protected from this, for the sake of them and other kids they have contact with

      • andros_rex@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        11
        ·
        2 days ago

        It’s not your job. It is rewarding in and of itself though.

        The great part about Boys and Girls Clubs or being a CASA or face painting at a festival etc is that you don’t have to raise them. The undivided attention of adult who seems to genuinely like and care about them for like 15 minutes is the kind of shit that changes kids lives.

        I’m not saying “organize community talks at your local library about positive masculinity” or “become a Big” but - maybe a cousin says something shitty at dinner, and you bring it up gently in a chat? Or be a positive role model in spaces where you encounter young men: in video games, on forums, outside…

        The best way to create a society where men are allowed to cry and express their emotions is to teach boys and young men these things are okay.