16th January 2023
How Schools are Approaching the Effect that Andrew Tate is Having on Schoolchildren
Schools are also trying to focus on what other role models pupils could look for.
A report by the BBC has revealed that schools across the UK are encountering growing numbers of pupils who admire disgraced former kickboxer Andrew Tate. To respond, some are actively putting out guidance on how to talk about him, as part of a concerted attempt to tackle his negative influence. Tate, has millions of online followers. in spite of being banned from sites including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube for misogynistic comments. Tate and his brother Tristan are currently detained in Romania, as part of an investigation into allegations of rape and human trafficking.
Gender Based Violence
Sarah Longville, deputy head of the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle says the staff there have been educating their pupils about gender-based violence for years. However, recently they have "had to acknowledge that he was having a lot of influence on the students". As well as teachers leading discussions in PSHE lessons about Tate's "manipulative behaviour", the school has sent advice to parents about how to talk about the Tate with their children. She said; "We have had to deal with the use of quite strong words, such as 'rape', being used without younger children understanding the seriousness of that word, the power of that word. Whether that's Tate or not, I would suspect [he] possibly has an influence.They're not bad children, they're just using language that they don't understand."
Lesson Plans
St Dunstan's, a fee-paying school in Catford, London, has drawn up entire lessons focused on Tate, across all their year groups and are encouraged classroom discussions. Deputy head Jonathan Holmes told the BBC: "We find out what the kids know [about him] first, and then we would want to facilitate discussion about the impact of echo chambers, the impact of the sense of those views online being endorsed, giving the appearance that they're being endorsed by quite a wide audience - when actually it's the case that they're not - and getting them to understand the credibility of those views."
Talking to Children About Tate
Tate's profile and notoriety increased, after teenagers started watching videos of him, some promoting misogyny and targeting women, all over their social media feeds back in the summer.
Child welfare experts state the most important thing is that parents talk to their children about what they are watching online and to ask about influencers like Tate. Discussions how the algorithm works are encouraged, including the tendency to recommend emotive and reactive content. Just because a video is being pushed to your feed by automated systems on social media doesn't mean you have to agree with or even like what you're seeing. Children should be encouraged to question everything they see online, and where it's come from - especially when it feels like it is being targeted on them.
The Department for Education
The Department for Education says it has also published guidance for schools in England on how to be alert to issues such as misogyny and gender stereotypes. Schools are also trying to focus on what other role models pupils could look for. "There are so many absolutely incredible men who are incredible role models to young people. You look at people like Marcus Rashford who is successful, who's healthy, who has got incredible levels of empathy and understanding," Helen Hinde, assistant head at Meols Cop High School, in Southport, tells BBC 5Live. "We've all got to work collaboratively and collectively to support young men to reframe masculinity - away from this toxic ideology that's presented by the likes of Tate."