Teachers have warned of a rise in misogyny and racism in UK schools, attributing the behaviour to pupils mimicking public figures such as Donald Trump and Andrew Tate after exposure through social media and online gaming. A survey by the NASUWT union found most teachers identified social media as the “number one cause” of pupil misbehaviour, with female staff bearing the brunt.
One teacher told the union: “A lot of the students are influenced by Tate and Trump, they spout racist, homophobic, transphobic and sexist comments in every conversation and don’t believe there will be consequences.” Another primary teacher described how boys aged 10 refused to speak to her because she was a woman, following Andrew Tate. Others reported incidents of boys “barking at female staff and blocking doorways” as a direct result of Tate videos.
Patrick Roach, the union’s general secretary, told its annual conference in Liverpool that two in three teachers said social media was now a critical factor contributing to bullying and poor pupil behaviour. He said pupils believed they had an “inalienable right” to use their mobile phones throughout the school day, using them to interrupt lessons, bully others, or gain respect from peers. Roach called for a plan to tackle what he described as a “national emergency”.
A Department for Education spokesperson acknowledged the damaging impact of dangerous influencers and pointed to the Online Safety Act and a curriculum review as measures to support teachers. The Liberal Democrats’ education spokesperson, Munira Wilson, said toxic algorithms were pushing children into dark corners of the internet, allowing sinister attitudes to develop.
The conference also heard concerns about parents becoming increasingly hostile, with some refusing to accept school rules. Lindsay Hanger from Norwich said unacceptable behaviour was being tolerated to meet attendance targets, and called for a strategy to ensure parents uphold behaviour strategies. Delegates passed a motion opposing “no exclusion” policies, while Roach also demanded a fully funded real-terms pay award for teachers, warning of a formal strike ballot if ignored.
