'Boys Bark At Female Teachers': Who's Behind The Rising Misogyny In UK Schools?

Many schools in the United Kingdom are reporting a wave of misogyny, racism, and violent behaviour among students. Many female teachers have reported incidents of boy students' 'barking' at them, refusing to talk to them, or blocking their way. A recent survey by the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) teachers’ union, revealed that social media is now the leading cause of poor pupil behaviour, according to the majority of the teachers, and female staff are bearing the brunt.

The union said in the report that male students are mimicking behaviours portrayed in online 'red-pill' content by public figures like influencer Andrew Tate, billionaire Elon Musk, or US President Donald Trump. From sexist outbursts to racially charged insults, the testimonies demonstrate a disturbing trend among students across the countries.

“One 10-year-old student refused to speak to me because I’m a woman. He would only speak to the male teaching assistant because he followed Tate,” one teacher told the NASUWT. Another teacher said, “Pupils are watching violent p**n, parroting conspiracy theories, and quoting influencers like Trump as if it’s gospel. Their attention spans are wrecked.”

While the Department for Education said it was supporting teachers in building students’ resilience to extremism, the NASUWT warned that current measures — including restricting mobile phone use — are not sufficient. Patrick Roach, general secretary of NASUWT, said, “We need a plan to tackle what has become a national emergency."

The 'Adolescence Effect': How Schools Are Tackling This

In March, reports stated that schools across the United Kingdom were going to include anti-misogyny lessons in the curriculum following the immense success of the Netflix series Adolescence. This move is part of a broader administrative effort to tackle toxic masculinity, according to the Keir Starmer government. Expected to be implemented before the end of the academic year, the new content will be introduced under updated Relationships, Health and Sex Education (RHSE) guidance.

Netflix UK's Adolescence by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham has opened a dialogue about the irreversible impact of toxic hypermasculinity, online bullying, and mental health struggles on impressionable young minds. The four-episode crime drama follows 13-year-old Jamie Miller, who is accused of stabbing a female classmate.

Following the show's popularity, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer backed calls for it to be shown in schools and parliament to spark discussion around misogyny, social media influence, and gendered violence. During the Prime Minister’s Questions last week, he said he watched the show with his teenage children and found it powerful. 

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According to The Times UK, Labour officials said that the new classroom guidances aim to help students develop empathy, respect, and emotional literacy. Right from primary school, children will learn about boundaries and consent, while older students will explore study, power dynamics in relationships and the ethics of online content.

“We want to support healthy relationships, ensure misogyny is stamped out, and equip students with the tools to navigate the digital world,” an unnamed government official told the outlet. They will also address issues raised by parents and teachers following several incidents of violence involving young boys and radical online ideologies.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is reportedly revising guidance issued by the previous Conservative government, which restricted sex education for children under nine and limited classroom discussions on gender identity. The revised guidance will aim to focus on early intervention and digital literacy among young minds, they said.

The 'anti-misogyny' initiative is already receiving support across the world. Adolescence star and producer Stephen Graham spoke about the massive movement the show has created. “We made this to spark conversation. If it gets people to think differently or to listen more closely, then we’ve done our job," he said in a recent interview.