Boys ‘barking’ at female teachers: UK schools face wave of misogyny fuelled online influencers, Trump | World News

UK schools are witnessing a surge in misogyny, racism and durbing behaviour like boys “barking” at female staff, as pupils mimic online influencers such as Donald Trump and Andrew Tate, teachers have warned.

A new survey the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) teachers’ union reveals 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.
“One student refused to speak to me because I’m a woman,” a primary teacher told the union. “He would only speak to the male teaching assant because he follows Tate. These are 10-year-olds.”
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From sex outbursts to racially charged insults, the testimonies paint a durbing picture of the classroom environment. Some teachers said boys have even begun “barking” at female staff and blocking doors — direct imitations of behaviour glamourised in viral videos.
Patrick Roach, general secretary of NASUWT, told the union’s annual conference in Liverpool on Friday that two-thirds of teachers now cite social media as a critical driver of bullying and disruptive behaviour in schools. “We need a plan to tackle what has become a national emergency,” Roach said.
While the Department for Education said it was supporting teachers in building students’ resilience to extremism, the union warned that current measures — including restricting mobile phone use — fall short.
A secondary teacher said the influence goes beyond misogyny. “Pupils are watching violent p**n, parroting conspiracy theories, and quoting influencers like Trump as if it’s gospel. Their attention spans are wrecked.”Story continues below this ad
The Department for Education insed that the recently passed Online Safety Act and a forthcoming curriculum review would help safeguard pupils, stating: “We know the rise of dangerous influencers is having a damaging impact on our children.”
Beyond the online threats, the NASUWT conference also heard that parents are increasingly refusing to support school rules — some even becoming violent when called in to discuss their child’s behaviour.
Delegates warned that pressure to keep attendance figures high was fuelling the problem, with schools avoiding suspensions even in severe cases. The union passed a motion opposing “no exclusion” policies, saying such strategies undermine discipline in classrooms.
In another major development, delegates passed a motion rejecting any merger with other unions, including the more left-leaning National Education Union. The vote comes amid speculation that frontrunner Matt Wrack, a former Fire Brigades Union chief, may push for closer ties with the NEU if elected to succeed Roach.
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