'Andrew Tate phenomena' fuelling wave of misogyny in schools, teachers warn
19 April 2025, 08:20 | Updated: 20 April 2025, 08:12
Toxic social media influencers like Andrew Tate are fueling misogyny and sexism in Britain’s schools, teachers have warned.
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Nearly 6,000 teachers were polled by the NASUWT teaching union, and nearly three in five (59%) said they believe social media use has contributed to a deterioration in pupils' behaviour.
The findings come as part of the Union’s annual report, which has been released alongside its conference this weekend.
During the conference, teachers will debate a motion which says far-right and populist movements have shifted their recruitment on to social media, messaging and online gaming platforms.
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It calls for the Union and teachers to work together to address the rise of the far-right and misogyny online and in the classroom.
It adds that the union should work with the Government “to support teachers in challenging far-right and populist narratives” presented to young people.
A number of teachers who responded to the NASUWT’s survey on behaviour referenced the negative influence that Tate has had on male pupils.
One 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.”
Another added: “In an all-boys school, low socio-economic area, the ‘Andrew Tate’ phenomena had a huge impact on how they interacted with females and males they did not see as ‘masculine’.”
While a third said: “We had some incidents in school with derogatory language towards female staff (e.g. boys barking at female staff and blocking doorways so they couldn’t leave the classroom), as a direct result of Andrew Tate videos.”
Union boss Patrick Roach has warned teachers "cannot be left alone to deal with these problems".
"There is an urgent need for concerted action involving schools, colleges and other agencies to safeguard all children and young people from the dangerous influence of far-right populists and extremists," he said.
A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said: “We know the rise of dangerous influencers is having a damaging impact on our children, which is why are supporting the sector in their crucial role building young people’s resilience to extremism as part of our Plan for Change.
“Education can be the antidote to hate, and the classroom should be a safe environment for sensitive topics to be discussed and where critical thinking is encouraged.
“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.
“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.”
This comes after Tory leader Kemi Badenoch revealed her young cousin took their own life after "falling down the online rabbit hole."
She said: "It's heartbreaking. My views about the dangers of social media are not just about children. I know even as adults we can get dangerously addicted."
