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Learning Objectives
● Reflect on what is digital drama and why it may happen.
● Use a scenario to practice taking different people's perspectives.
● Identify strategies they can use to de-escalate digital drama.

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Discuss how people like him have a social-media megaphone, and how algorithms can keep people in his orbit. 

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Discuss how people like him have a social-media megaphone, and how algorithms can keep people in his orbit. 

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Do Algorithms Influence Our Lives and Our Democracy? | Common Sense Education

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Use these free lesson plans to help students think critically about how algorithms influence our lives.

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To counteract misogyny, here are some excellent media choices.

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To counteract misogyny, here are some excellent media choices.

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Common Sense Media improves the lives of kids and families by providing independent reviews, age ratings, & other information about all types of media.

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‘Vulnerable boys are drawn in’: schools fear spread of Andrew Tate’s misogyny

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The notorious TikTok ‘influencer’ may be in jail, but his ‘terrifying’ ideology has already taken hold in classrooms, teachers say

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They've existed for thousands of years — but social media changed everything.

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People have had a fascination with famous people for eons - and in the age of the internet, it's only increased. Influencers , often online content creators, have made both the definition of "celebrity" and our relationships with them fuzzy.

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His wild popularity on numerous social media platforms means that even younger kids may have seen content from or about him (or his ideas).

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His wild popularity on numerous social media platforms means that even younger kids may have seen content from or about him (or his ideas).

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Topline

Here's a timeline of how social media personality and ex-kickboxer Andrew Tate, known for misogynistic hate speech, found himself detained in Romania until at least the end of February and potentially facing years in prison for human trafficking.

In this screen grab taken from video released by Observator Antena 1, Social Media personality ... [+]
Associated Press

Timeline

Key Background

Andrew Tate first rose to prominence as a world champion kickboxer and a contestant on the British reality series Big Brother in 2016 (which he was quickly removed from after a video surfaced of him hitting a woman with a belt) - but he's now best known as a self-described misogynist who uses social media platforms to appeal to young men. He's curated an image characterized by "traditional masculine values," pointing to his fast car collection and his big house - but he's become notorious for the many offensive comments he's made about women. Tate has said rape victims must bear responsibility for their assaults, questioned why women are able to drive, and bragged about how he would hit a woman if she accused him of cheating. He moved to Romania in 2017, saying he wanted to live in a country where "corruption is accessible for everybody" and police would be less likely to investigate sexual assault allegations. Tate racked up millions of followers on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook before being banned from all three platforms in August 2022; his recently reinstated Twitter account has 4.3 million followers. His social media presence has sparked protests for his removal among sexual assault and domestic violence survivor organizations, who have raised concerns about the impact of his misogyny on his young male audience.

Crucial Quote

"The four suspects ... appear to have created an organised crime group with the purpose of recruiting, housing and exploiting women by forcing them to create pornographic content meant to be seen on specialised websites for a cost," Romanian prosecutors said in a statement on Dec. 29.

Big Number

3.9 million. That's how many likes Thunberg's first tweet in response to Tate garnered in just one week, becoming one of the most liked tweets ever.

Tangent

A widely shared internet theory that the pizza boxes in Tate's video-prompted by Thunberg-which were from a Romanian pizzeria, allowed authorities to confirm he was still in the country has been debunked. Though he was detained the day after he tweeted the video, Romanian authorities denied the connection between the pizza boxes and his arrest, and maintained he was detained because he has been under investigation since April - though a Romanian anti-organized crime agency spokeswoman called the rumor "funny."

Further Reading

Andrew Tate, brother charged in Romania with human trafficking (The Washington Post)

Who is Andrew Tate, 'king of toxic masculinity,' accused of trafficking? (The Washington Post)

Andrew Tate: The self-proclaimed misogynist influencer (BBC)

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Andrew Tate Detained In Romania For Third Month: His Human Trafficking Charges Explained And A Timeline Of The Social Media Star's Controversies

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Here's a timeline of how social media personality and ex-kickboxer Andrew Tate, known for misogynistic hate speech, found himself detained in Romania until at least the end of February and potentially facing years in prison for human trafficking.

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Who is Andrew Tate? The self-proclaimed misogynist influencer

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The controversial British-American online influencer Andrew Tate has been detained in Romania as a part of a human trafficking and rape investigation. The self-proclaimed "misogynist" rose to fame after he was removed from the British version of reality TV show Big Brother in 2016, following the release of a video that appeared to show him attacking a woman.

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A Romanian court ruled Andrew Tate must remain in custody for a further 30 days while authorities investigate accusations of rape and human trafficking.

The American-British influencer was arrested in Romania on December 29, alongside his brother, Tristan, and two women who are Romanian nationals. He has been charged with sexual assault and exploitation.

Prosecutors in Bucharest can apply to extend suspects' detention for up to 180 days after already applying for one extension to keep the brothers behind bars until February 27.

Tate broke his silence over the decision by tweeting from his account which was only reinstated in November after Elon Musk bought the company. The former professional kickboxer had been banned from most social media platforms for his controversial comments.

"I will meditate deeply over this decision," wrote the 36-year-old.

I will meditate deeply over this decision.
- Andrew Tate (@Cobratate) February 21, 2023

Romania's organised crime agency, Diicot, is investigating the Tate brothers and the two women for allegedly coercing six women into producing pornography through threatening "acts of physical violence and mental coercion." Tate is also facing charges of rape after allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in March last year.

All four deny culpability and while the two Romanian nationals have been moved to house arrest, Tate told his newsletter subscribers about the conditions he faces in jail.

"I will send you my daily lessons from unjust imprisonment," Tate wrote in January. "They are trying to break me. Thrown inside a cell without light. Cockroaches, lice and bed bugs are my only friends at night.

"When the guards bring me to and from the courtroom, I stay absolutely respectful. They try to pour hatred into my heart. But Please and Thank You stick with me at all times. My prison guards are just performing their job, they have families to feed."

"In times of hardship, do not forget your manners," he went on. "They are trying to break my Iron Mind with unjust imprisonment. They can't beak me.

"My guards know I am innocent. They know it is unjust. They see I will never break and respect my resolve. Please and Thank You stick with me at all times. Such is the Way of Wudan."

Tate appeared on the reality show Big Brother in the U.K. in 2016 where he became notorious for his misogynistic comments about women.

Since then he has been criticized for his opinions about women, including in 2017 at the height of the #MeToo movement when he said they " must bear some responsibility" if someone rapes them.

In one video, Tate discusses how he would react to a woman accusing him of cheating, saying: "Bang out the machete, boom in her face and grip her by the neck. Shut up b****," according to The Guardian newspaper.

In 2013, an unnamed woman accused Tate of rape in the U.K, but police never charged him with a crime. Two other women reportedly accused Tate of similar treatment according to a report on news website, Vice.

The article printed graphic details of Tate allegedly raping the woman and text messages between the pair.

"Am I a bad person? Because the more you didn't like it, the more I enjoyed it. I f****** loved how much you hated it. It turned me on. Why am I like that? Why?" Tate allegedly wrote to her.

In another message, Tate allegedly wrote: "I love raping you."

In 2019, British prosecutors declined to pursue charges against Tate over any of the allegations, Vice reported.
Specialists from the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) sexual assault hotline are available 24/7 via phone (1 (800) 656-4673) and online chat. Additional support from the group is also accessible via the mobile app. Do you have a tip on an entertainment story that Newsweek should be covering? Let us know via entertainment@newsweek.com.

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Andrew Tate reacts to another 30 days in prison amid human trafficking case

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A Romanian court ruled Andrew Tate must remain in custody for a further 30 days while authorities investigate accusations of rape and human trafficking. The American-British influencer was arrested in Romania on December 29, alongside his brother, Tristan, and two women who are Romanian nationals. He has been charged with sexual assault and exploitation.

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t the beginning of the year, it felt like the social media influencer Andrew Tate was dominating all my conversations. My group chats pinged with alarm. At the school where I teach, colleagues expressed despair at just how far his misogynist messages had spread. How had a man who many of us had never heard of until last summer garnered such a huge following, resulting in his content on TikTok being viewed more than 12.7bn times? Why were more people searching for him on Google than arguably the world's best known influencer, Kim Kardashian? Why did his followers stand by him even when he claimed that rape survivors bore some "responsibility" for their assault? How, after #MeToo, could a version of masculinity so lacking in compassion, empathy and respect for women be so popular? The over-35s seemed blindsided - parents especially.

In the frenzy to regain some sense of control, many parents looked to schools. Courses for teachers on how to tackle Tate's views were advertised, and sold out. In the WhatsApp group chat for year 6 parents at my son's school, it was no different - "speak to the school" was the advice when I raised the issue.

As a teacher, though, this didn't feel like enough. Teachers can't be the only guards against such a huge problem - to expect so is to pile an impossible responsibility on to an already overworked profession. So I wondered: when much of this harmful content is accessed at home, what conversations should parents be having with our children, particularly our sons?

It is completely understandable that rapid technological advancements have caught parents unawares. The messages of misogynists such as Tate and violent sexual content are easier to access than ever before - according to reports, around 50% of children see violent porn before the age of 18. As parents, the path of least discomfort may be to take the position of the three wise monkeys. If we don't see or hear of misogynist content, then what need is there to speak of it? The conclusion may be to not view the issue as "live", in our homes at least.

Wilful ignorance, however, does not protect us from our own accountability. Schools alone can't do the necessary work of preparing pupils for the world they are living in. Primary and secondary schools do teach relationships, health and sex education (RHSE) to pupils - thankfully it is now mandatory, and online safety is included within it. But given the scale of the problem before us, it is nowhere near enough. And because of stretched resources, the danger is that schools, particularly where influencers such as Tate are concerned, will revert to lecture rather than dialogue.

The primary aim of a lecture is to impart knowledge. What it does not always provide is the embedding of understanding. Our young people may well know that they need to have consent in their sexual relationships, but that is different from understanding what consent, or indeed the lack thereof, looks like in the real world beyond an assembly, PowerPoint or workbook.

That's borne out by the stats: Ofsted reports that 79% of girls who responded to its survey of 32 schools and colleges stated that sexual assault happened "a lot" or "sometimes" between people their own age. Meanwhile, 64% and 68% said the same respectively for unwanted touching and feeling pressured to do sexual things they did not want to. Schools absolutely should do more to tackle these problems. But so too should parents.

Our first step may be to think through what these unprecedented times mean for our children. That means accepting that if we do not tackle the issue with open dialogue, often and early, we risk allowing boys to fall under the influence of misogynists such as Tate. In the void of our silence, boys are left to navigate a world that both tells them to abhor sexual violence (#MeToo), and supplies readily available depictions of it as an avenue through which they can explore their sexual identity. It is no coincidence that the Tates of this world lure in confused boys with the soothing promise of becoming an "alpha male".

We should lean into this discomfort. We can begin by making sure we instil in our children, from infancy, an understanding that their bodies are their own and that others must respect their boundaries. We should acknowledge that, no, we do not have all the answers, but are prepared to do our own research to find out. Importantly, we must accept this isn't a one-off conversation about "the birds and the bees". These issues will need revisiting again and again.

As much as the internet may feel like the enemy, it is also, perhaps, one of the strongest weapons in our arsenal. There are countless books, blogs, toolkits and influencers whose business it is to tackle issues of consent in honest, clear terms. We can use them and their output as launchpads for discussions with our children.

We must also know a little more about the water in which our children are swimming. How many of us can say we have dipped our toes in? That means logging on to sites like Twitter and moving beyond our echo chambers to catch a glimpse of what other "conversations" take place on such platforms. Above all else, we must approach these discussions with an intention to not merely tell, but to listen.

Lola Okolosie is an English teacher and writer focusing on race, politics, education and feminism

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

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Parents, talk to your sons about Andrew Tate - we teachers can't take him on alone | Lola Okolosie

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t the beginning of the year, it felt like the social media influencer Andrew Tate was dominating all my conversations. My group chats pinged with alarm. At the school where I teach, colleagues expressed despair at just how far his misogynist messages had spread .

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Outside the Box: Promoting Gender Equality & Tackling Sexual Harassment in Schools - EqualiTeach

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Outside the Box is a resource for those working with young people, supporting them to promote gender equality tand tackle sexism and sexual harassment.

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Understanding the issues and risks

Schools are increasingly concerned about the impact of online influencers that promote misogynistic rhetoric. This content can be permissive of: discriminatory behaviours and attitudes (including racist, antisemitic, homophobic, transphobic, and misogynistic attitudes); sexual harassment and abuse; abuse in relationships; and victim-blaming narratives.

The entry point for young people's first engagement with such content can often seem quite superficial, but social media algorithms can then lead them to increasingly problematic and extreme content.

This all comes at an age when young people may be particularly insecure and vulnerable to persuasive narratives. For example, much of this content taps into insecurities about body image and agency. The focus on money, success and power also plays on financial and status insecurities that may lead to risky and even illegal behaviours.

Women and girls in particular are put at risk by narratives that normalise sexual harassment and abuse, promote unhealthy relationship behaviours and victim blaming. Similarly, the sharing of homophobic and transphobic content by some influencers can inform behaviour and attitudes towards LGBT+ young people in schools. Toxic masculinity is also harmful and restrictive to boys and men. Promoted stereotypes contribute to existing narratives that restrict and undermine help-seeking - especially in relation to mental health and emotional wellbeing. Some online spaces even direct young people towards other harmful content, including content that promotes self-harm and suicide.

In some extreme circumstances, boys can also become radicalised via involvement in forums and communities that promote and celebrate violent behaviours, including rape, child abuse and terrorist acts.

PSHE education should primarily be used as preventative education, providing a foundational understanding from an early age about healthy relationships, respect, self-esteem, digital literacy, economic wellbeing, critical thinking, and recognising and challenging negative influences. And, importantly, it should explore the links between these areas. This is crucial for safeguarding and building resistance to problematic narratives (as well as the influencers and algorithms that deliver them so effectively).

Of course, education is only one part of the solution, but it is a key part. There are essential efforts - for example through the Online Safety Bill - to make aspects of the digital landscape safer for children, but technical solutions must be complemented by human solutions that emphasise respect, equality and diversity.

Read on for advice on how to cover these issues through PSHE education, including recommended teaching resources.

Teaching about these topics safely:

Avoid focusing the lesson on specific influencers, websites or groups that promote harmful attitudes. This is important, as you cannot assume even the most popular influencers are known by all pupils. Speaking about a specific influencer or influencers might prompt suggestions from students of additional less well known influencers, and encourage those previously unaware to check them out - thereby providing a potentially inspiring role model and affecting how advertising and algorithms influence their future viewing. Speaking in general terms also helps pupils to understand that this advice applies to any problematic influencers in future, not just those currently causing concern.

This should be delivered by appropriately trained, prepared teachers using safe, effective materials: Anyone teaching this complex content should be given the training and pedagogical understanding to teach it safely and well.

Establish a safe learning environment: establishing a safe learning environment with pupils before teaching takes places is crucial.

Relevant guidance and training:

Addressing these issues through KS1 and KS2 PSHE education

Tips for laying the foundations at key stages 1 and 2:

With younger pupils, the aim is to develop respectful attitudes by focusing on learning that supports inclusion and belonging rather than covering specific types of discrimination, such as misogyny.

At key stage 1 this might include exploring how everyone is equal and deserves to be treated with respect. Also, recognising and celebrating people's similarities and differences.

This may extend to learning about stereotypes in early key stage 2, including gender stereotypes and how these can be unfair.

Then at upper key stage 2, pupils could explore how these stereotypes can have negative effects on a person's behaviour, aspirations, and feelings about themselves.

Teaching should also reflect younger children's early experiences online and begin to develop digital literacy skills to identify trusted sources, false information, and negative influences.

This will all help to prepare pupils for more specific learning about discrimination (including discrimination based on gender) in the later primary years and in secondary school, as they access digital platforms with increasing independence.

Statutory guidance at primary phase:

These topics are included in the DfE statutory Relationships and Health Education guidance for KS1 and KS2 as follows:

Relationships education
Respectful relationships

the importance of respecting others, even when they are very different from them (for example, physically, in character, personality or backgrounds), or make different choices or have different preferences or beliefs.

that in school and in wider society they can expect to be treated with respect by others, and that in turn they should show due respect to others, including those in positions of authority.

what a stereotype is, and how stereotypes can be unfair, negative or destructive.

Online relationships

that people sometimes behave differently online, including by pretending to be someone they are not.

that the same principles apply to online relationships as to face-to face relationships, including the importance of respect for others online including when we are anonymous.

how to critically consider their online friendships and sources of information including awareness of the risks associated with people they have never met.

how to report concerns or abuse, and the vocabulary and confidence needed to do so.

Health education
Internet safety and harms

why social media, some computer games and online gaming, for example, are age restricted.

that the internet can also be a negative place where online abuse, trolling, bullying and harassment can take place, which can have a negative impact on mental health.

how to be a discerning consumer of information online including understanding that information, including that from search engines, is ranked, selected and targeted.

where and how to report concerns and get support with issues online

Developing this learning through PSHE education at key stages 3, 4 and 5/post-16:

Statutory RSHE can help schools to address this as part of their wider PSHE education curriculum as it addresses a range of topics, including treating each other respectfully; online and media influences; identifying discrimination; and seeking support, including in relation to radicalisation.

While the statutory guidance does not extend to post-16 settings, schools and colleges are encouraged to support students by offering these subjects. The PSHE education Programme of Study outlines what can be covered at key stage 5/post-16.

The statutory RSHE guidance gives schools an outline of what they need to cover, and the important knowledge that pupils should acquire, but PSHE education must also equip pupils with the skills and attributes to apply this understanding in the real world.

The PSHE education Programme of Study (KS1-5) and Programme Builders exemplify how to integrate the statutory content into a comprehensive PSHE education programme.

Statutory guidance at secondary phase:

These topics are included in the DfE statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education guidance for KS3 and 4 as follows:

Relationships & Sex education
Respectful relationships, including friendships

how stereotypes, in particular stereotypes based on sex, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or disability, can cause damage (e.g. how they might normalise non-consensual behaviour or encourage prejudice).

that in school and in wider society they can expect to be treated with respect by others, and that in turn they should show due respect to others, including people in positions of authority and due tolerance of other people's beliefs

the legal rights and responsibilities regarding equality (particularly with reference to the protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010) and that everyone is unique and equal

Online and media

their rights, responsibilities and opportunities online, including that the same expectations of behaviour apply in all contexts, including online

about online risks, including that any material someone provides to another has the potential to be shared online and the difficulty of removing potentially compromising material placed online

what to do and where to get support to report material or manage issues online

the impact of viewing harmful content

The statutory guidance also requires that young people are made aware of 'relevant legal provisions when relevant topics are being taught', including:

violence against women and girls

extremism/radicalisation

hate crime

Health education
Mental wellbeing
how to critically evaluate when something they do or are involved in has a positive or negative effect on their own or others' mental health
Internet safety and harms

the similarities and differences between the online world and the physical world, including: the impact of unhealthy or obsessive comparison with others online (including through setting unrealistic expectations for body image), how people may curate a specific image of their life online, over-reliance on online relationships including social media, the risks related to online gambling including the accumulation of debt, how advertising and information is targeted at them and how to be a discerning consumer of information online.

how to identify harmful behaviours online (including bullying, abuse or harassment) and how to report, or find support, if they have been affected by those behaviours.

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2022 statutory guidance

The statutory KCSIE guidance stresses that 'schools and colleges play a crucial role in preventative education' and that this is most effective in the context of a whole school approach that 'creates a culture of zero tolerance for sexism, misogyny/misandry, homophobia, biphobic and sexual violence/harassment'.

Regarding the curriculum, KCSIE outlines the importance of 'a planned programme of evidence-based RSHE delivered in regularly timetabled lessons and reinforced throughout the whole curriculum' and that 'such a programme should be fully inclusive and developed to be age and stage of development appropriate'.

KCSIE lists the areas of statutory RSHE of key importance to safeguarding. These are also particularly relevant to addressing toxic masculinity and misogyny in the classroom:

healthy and respectful relationships

boundaries and consent

stereotyping, prejudice and equality

body confidence and self-esteem

how to recognise an abusive relationship, including coercive and controlling behavior

the concepts of - and laws relating to - sexual consent, sexual exploitation, abuse, grooming, coercion, harassment, rape, domestic abuse, so called 'honour'-based violence such as forced marriage and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and how to access support, and

what constitutes sexual harassment and sexual violence and why these are always unacceptable

The KCSIE guidance also reminds us that all schools are subject to the Prevent duty, meaning they must have: 'due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism' and that 'The Prevent duty should be seen as part of schools' and colleges' wider safeguarding obligations'. KCSIE advises that 'designated safeguarding leads (and deputies) and other senior leaders in schools should familiarise themselves with the revised Prevent duty guidance : for England and Wales, especially paragraphs 57-76, which are specifically concerned with schools (and also covers childcare)'.

Teaching resources and related learning

Teaching about consent and healthy relationship behaviours counters messages that normalise unhealthy relationship behaviours. See:

This teaching should be linked to learning about mental health and emotional wellbeing in both primary and secondary phase, as influencers prey upon young people, with challenges relating to their self-esteem and mental health. See:

Some influencers combine discriminatory content with messaging about the importance of acquiring wealth and material possessions. This messaging is often aimed at those experiencing or concerned about unemployment or financial difficulties. It is therefore important to ensure that the economic wellbeing aspects of your PSHE education curriculum help young people to recognise pathways to careers, identify strategies to support their financial wellbeing in the future and to challenge economic misinformation presented by influencers.

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Addressing misogyny, toxic masculinity and social media influence in PSHE education

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Advice for schools on addressing the impact of online influencers who promote misogynistic rhetoric and other discriminatory behaviours and attitudes.

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Teaching about these topics safely:

Avoid focusing the lesson on specific influencers, websites or groups that promote harmful attitudes. This is important, as you cannot assume even the most popular influencers are known by all pupils. Speaking about a specific influencer or influencers might prompt suggestions from students of additional less well known influencers, and encourage those previously unaware to check them out — thereby providing a potentially inspiring role model and affecting how advertising and algorithms influence their future viewing. Speaking in general terms also helps pupils to understand that this advice applies to any problematic influencers in future, not just those currently causing concern.

This should be delivered by appropriately trained, prepared teachers using safe, effective materials: Anyone teaching this complex content should be given the training and pedagogical understanding to teach it safely and well.

Establish a safe learning environment: establishing a safe learning environment with pupils before teaching takes places is crucial.

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End Sexism in Schools (ESIS) is a grassroots campaign organisation set up in 2020. Our aim is to support girls and boys to fulfil their potential, without gendered expectations, in a safe and supportive school environment.

Over the past two years, numerous scandals have revealed the widespread extent of sexual harassment, sexism and misogyny in schools, with Ofsted's 2021 into this commenting on how boys have a sense of 'superiority' that makes them feel they can treat girls as they wish. The answer to this has been to overhaul the PSHE curriculum to explicitly teach consent, but we know that this is merely treating the symptoms, not the cause.

The reality is that women are virtually invisible within the content of the academic curriculum, and we draw a direct line between this invisibility, and the sexual harassment boys inflict on girls. Without ever hearing women's voices, reading and discussing women's experiences, and learning to value and respect women's contribution to the world, is it any wonder that boys grow up viewing women as inferior, and worthy of little respect?

When our founder first made this connection and began to campaign to change the curriculum, she was met with a problem: she had no concrete evidence to back up her claims. Research into the content of the curriculum in secondary schools was limited, and little proof beyond anecdotal evidence was available to demonstrate the extent of the problem. As such, ESIS's first project was to uncover gender bias in the teaching of English Literature at Key Stage 3 (school years 7-9) in England's schools. English was chosen due to it being a core subject studied by all pupils to the age of 16, and it being straightforward to identify gender bias in the curriculum content by collating data on the sex of authors and protagonists on set text lists.

In 2021, using a small army of volunteers, we researched the English curriculum in nearly a third of England's secondary schools. With no requirements to teach any specific texts other than Shakespeare, schools have free rein to teach what they like at Key Stage 3. Given this freedom, the lack of diversity we uncovered is shocking. Our key findings are as follows:

82% of novels taught feature a male protagonist

77% of schools teach one or no whole texts by female authors across the three years of KS3, with 44% teaching none at all and 33% only teaching one; this is out of an average of nine whole taught texts across the three years

However, the actual number of whole novels taught by female authors is likely to be even less because a larger percentage of male authored texts were mandatory (as opposed to being on a list of choices) than female - 68% compared to 57% respectively

99% of plays taught are by male writers, only 1% by female, and only 2% have a lead female protagonist

A small number of schools account for the majority of female-authored texts taught; 16% of schools teach 50% of those listed in school curricula

Coupled with the fact that only 7% of pupils study a book by a female author at GCSE, this means that most children educated in England will go through their entire compulsory education never having studied a whole text (as opposed to an extract, poem or short story) by a female author. Considering that schools have free choice of the texts they teach, and that 77% of secondary school English teachers are female (the highest proportion of any academic subject), the fact that most are continuing to fall back on the teaching of male authored texts with male protagonists is powerful evidence of how engrained misogyny and patriarchal values are embedded in our society.

English is just the tip of the iceberg; the invisibility of women is evident in every area of the academic curriculum, and it is our mission as an organisation to carry out the research required to prove this, and then campaign for change. PSHE cannot continue to be touted as a panacea for solving misogyny in schools when every other lesson pupils attend teaches them that women have no value. Cultural change will only happen when the academic curriculum is overhauled to create an equal space for women's achievements, voices and experiences alongside those of men.

You can read our report into the English curriculum . If you'd like to join our efforts to End Sexism in Schools, we are always looking for new volunteers. Please do contact us at endsexisminschools@gmail.com .

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Tackling Sexism in Schools Needs to Start with the Curriculum | Diverse Educators

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End Sexism in Schools (ESIS) is a grassroots campaign organisation set up in 2020. Our aim is to support girls and boys to fulfil their potential, without gendered expectations, in a safe and supportive school environment.