How teachers are taking the fight to Andrew Tate

Teachers have offered advice on how to address difficult discussions in the classroom surrounding Andrew Tate's opinions.

The notorious social media personality may face jail time, but his ideology lives on in schools, creating a "fear for boys' girlfriends", among other concerns.

Assistant head teacher Helen Hinde, from Southport, Merseyside, believes Tates appeal stems from his success and apparent wealth.

"He is selling a lifestyle," she told The Guardian. "When we mention his hatefulness towards women, some excuse it as simply creating a successful life for yourself."

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Meanwhile, a primary school teacher from north London, who opted to remain anonymous, told the paper: "It’s the most vulnerable and socially awkward boys that are drawn in and given a sense of belonging to something that is very dangerous."

A teen student also highlighted that they don't think school staff are fully aware of who Tate is and "what he stands for".

"I worry for these boys’ girlfriends," they added.

Teenage boys are prime targets for Tate's disturbing content

Meanwhile Tes, an outlet for primary and secondary school teaching resources, has taken action: creating a guide on how to "respond to boys inspired by Andrew Tate".

Assistant headteacher Mark Roberts highlighted that if staff are teaching children old enough to have phones, they may be aware of Tate's presence.

"It may only be a matter of time before boys you teach begin to display disturbing attitudes in your classroom," he wrote.

Roberts encouraged teachers to address such topics using these five tips:

Avoid silencing boys

Emily Setty, senior lecturer in criminology at the University of Surrey, told Tes that teachers should see Tate topics as "teachable moments".

"It must not be done as a lecture," she said. "It should entail ‘calling them in’ rather than ‘calling them out’, which I’ve found rarely leads to anyone changing their view."

Try to understand why boys are susceptible to Tate’s message

Assistant head Roberts called for a better understanding of Tate's appeal, insisting this can help "diminish his influence."

"Among the barrage of misogyny, he also specialises in an unsubtle brand of self-help mumbo jumbo, which appeals to alienated young males in a different way," Roberts pointed out.

Use assemblies to challenge assumptions

Teachers have been advised to take advantage of assemblies to invite discussion and educate students on the toxic nature of Tate's brand.

Roberts wrote: "Many teachers fear that by even mentioning Tate, they might unwittingly promote his ideas to students previously unaware of them. However, saying nothing only allows his influence to grow unchecked."

Provide wide-ranging CPD for staff

Roberts suggested that whole-school continuing professional development, such as webinars and external resources, will help staff confidently approach tough topics.

Don’t just focus on Andrew Tate

Teachers have described Tate as the "tip of the iceberg" and highlighted that if even he disappeared, that's not to say misogyny will too.

Tate soared across social media earlier this year, attracting attention for his misogynistic and problematic stances on life. TikTok clips alone, using his name, have garnered 13 billion views.

A TikTok spokesman said after he was banned in August: "Misogyny is a hateful ideology that is not tolerated on TikTok.

"We've been removing violative videos and accounts for weeks, and we welcome the news that other platforms are also taking action against this individual."

To read more from Tes, click here.

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