LONDON (The Guardian) – A rise in misogyny and racism is flooding UK schools as pupils ape the behavior of figures such as U.S. President Donald Trump and Andrew Tate after exposure through social media and online gaming, teachers warned.
A survey by the NASUWT union found most teachers identified social media as “the number one cause” of pupil misbehavior, with female staff bearing the brunt. Teachers also raised concerns about parents who refuse to accept school rules or take responsibility for their children’s behavior.
One teacher told the union, “A lot of the students are influenced by Tate and Trump, they spout racist, and sexist comments in every conversation and don’t believe there will be consequences.”
The NASUWT’s general secretary, Patrick Roach, told the union’s annual conference on Friday, “Two in three teachers tell us that social media is now a critical factor contributing to bullying and poor pupil behavior.
“Pupils who believe it is their inalienable right to access their mobile phones throughout the school day – and use them to interrupt lessons, bully others, act out, or to garner respect from their peers,” Roach added.
One primary teacher said, “I have had boys refuse to speak to me, and speak to a male teaching assistant instead, because I am a woman and they follow Andrew Tate and think he is amazing with all his cars and women and how women should be treated. These were 10-year-olds.”
Others reported instances of boys “barking at female staff and blocking doorways … as a direct result of Andrew Tate videos”. Another teacher said, “Pupils watch violent and extreme pornographic material. Their attention spans have dropped. They read lots of fake news and sensationalized stories that make them feel empowered and that they know better than the teacher.”
Roach said the union had “positive discussions” with ministers about tackling the problem but warned that restricting access to mobile phones during the school day did not go far enough. “We now need a plan to tackle what has become a national emergency,” he said.
A Department for Education spokesperson said, “We know the rise of dangerous influencers is having a damaging impact on our children, which is why we are supporting the sector in their crucial role building young people’s resilience to extremism as part of our plan for change.”
“That’s why we provide a range of resources to support teachers to navigate these challenging issues, and why our curriculum review will look at the skills children need to thrive in a fast-changing online world,” the spokesperson added.
“This is on top of wider protections being brought in for children with the Online Safety Act, to ensure children have an age-appropriate experience online,” the spokesperson said.