this post was submitted on 20 Apr 2025
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Summary

Social media influencers are fuelling a rise in misogyny and sexism in the UK's classrooms, according to teachers.

More than 5,800 teachers were polled... and nearly three in five (59%) said they believe social media use has contributed to a deterioration in pupils' behaviour.

One teacher said she'd had 10-year-old boys "refuse to speak to [her]...because [she is] a woman". Another said "the Andrew Tate phenomena had a huge impact on how [pupils] interacted with females and males they did not see as 'masculine'".

"There is an urgent need for concerted action... to safeguard all children and young people from the dangerous influence of far-right populists and extremists."

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[–] Carmakazi@lemmy.world 346 points 3 days ago (33 children)

Every teacher I hear from (US) these days basically says the newest generation coming up is completely screwed. Unreal levels of behavioral issues that are not being addressed at home. Complete lack of engagement with the lesson plan, unfinished assignments all over. They need to curve grades left and right just to get the majority of the class to pass. The parents are more emboldened than ever to make the teachers' lives hell over things they know nothing about and refuse to take responsibility for.

It's easy to brush it off as the standard generational nose-thumbing...but this seems different. Something is really breaking down and I think social media is at the center of it.

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 233 points 3 days ago (3 children)

It’s a shame teachers are pressured to “curve grade” rather than just flunk these people and hold them back a grade.

[–] gonzo-rand19@moist.catsweat.com 125 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Even when I went to elementary school over 15 years ago in Canada, kids weren't allowed to be held back without written permission from their parents. I thought it was really fucking weird because we literally had a kid whose mom did all of his homework (everyone knew; he had horrible writing and she didn't) and yet refused to put him in a remedial class or have him repeat a year.

[–] null_dot@lemmy.dbzer0.com 21 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I can't help but wonder what Dad's take on this situation was.

[–] anomnom@sh.itjust.works 41 points 3 days ago

That assumes there was one (dad, or take from the dad).

[–] in4apenny@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I knew a kid like that in school, who's mother did all his homework and projects for him, he couldn't even spell "phone". He was a rich kid who would miss half the school year going on family trips, never took the SAT's, never went to university. He's now an executive at JP Morgan (wish I was joking.)

[–] bobs_monkey@lemm.ee 83 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Schools now lose funding when kids don't pass, so admins press teachers to move them along.

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 100 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] laurelraven@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 2 days ago

All Kids Shuffled Off To Become Someone Else's Problem

[–] Photuris@lemmy.ml 17 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Republicans really do destroy everything

[–] yeather@lemmy.ca 7 points 3 days ago (2 children)

This is true for nearly every state, from deep red to deep blue. It is not a party issue but a stupid policy that intended for teachers and faculty to work harder to teach students.

[–] faythofdragons@slrpnk.net 11 points 2 days ago

It's from a federal law passed under the Bush administration, tying funding to standardized testing scores.

But it was bipartisan, so you're not wrong.

[–] Photuris@lemmy.ml 12 points 3 days ago

The ironic tragedy here is that the new MAGA GOP is going to destroy and dismantle public education, citing the “failure” of public education to meet the needs of our children, even though it was a Republican policy that crippled the system in the first place.

[–] merc@sh.itjust.works 8 points 2 days ago

"When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodhart%27s_law

Or, if you prefer a clip from The Wire, juking the stats.

[–] Valmond@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago
[–] Carmakazi@lemmy.world 54 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Many if not all school districts in the States have their funding tied to their performance, so there is a negative incentive to make grades look good. My elementary school tried to place me in their Special Ed program because my grades would have brought the average up there.

Plus, holding back 60, 70, 80% of an entire class just isn't logistically feasible in most cases.

[–] Madzielle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 26 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Its so absurd.

I went to a rural title one highschool. I took general level classes and had honors/high honors at least half of my semesters.

Half way through my senior year, I moved. It sucked balls. My new school, was small, literally the smallest school in my state. Graduation class size was 54 students. It was outside the Capital city, and affluent. Everyone was a "prep" had money, some drove very fancy cars to school ect.

The new school didnt offer Gen level classes, only college and AP. I was upset at that because those classes were known to me to be super difficult at my old rural school. At that time I just wanted to smoke pot with my friends tbh. But .. I took the classes.

Y'all. This little rich prep school's College course classes were easier than my Title one school Gen Ed. I couldn't believe it. This was 2006, and I know now, they did that to keep the funding going. All the little rich kids had parents who could afford to send them all to college, and they needed to look good for thier hard-to-get-into universities.

It still frustrates me the world is like this.

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I believe it. I think the much older push against standardized tests was so that "fancy" schools could pump up their grades. I never understood the newer push against standardized tests, you want them exactly so schools can't pump up their grades. Standardized tests create an actual level playing field.

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[–] PunkRockSportsFan@fanaticus.social 38 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Neither is passing a kid who doesn’t understand the material.

[–] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 9 points 3 days ago

It is when that kid becomes someone else's problem to deal with.

[–] Ep1cFac3pa1m@lemmy.world 105 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Something is really breaking down and I think social media is at the center of it.

I feel like you could apply this to almost every societal crisis we’re facing. It’s like social media took every little crack in the foundation and turned it into a chasm.

Parents in Facebook echo chambers trying to discover who to blame for their child’s shitty behaviour then getting into arguments when they are told to perhaps get off their phone and speak to their child.

Children in Facebook echo chambers where they make their neurodivergence their entire personality while simultaneously excusing any and all behaviour due to it.

If both groups spoke to each other a lot could be changed.

[–] uienia@lemmy.world 44 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

It is different, because never in human history has it been easier to influence people. We are literally addicted, as in the brain is literally addicted, to our little disinformation device, the output of which is largely controlled by malicious powerful entities. Now add impressionable young brains to the mix.

It is a pretty terrible scenario with no obvious solution.

[–] sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz 34 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I retired from the job 5 years ago. Your description rings true from my experience then (and was a big part of me retiring), and the colleagues I've stayed in touch with say it's very noticeably worse now. I'm glad I got out when I did.

[–] Mog_fanatic@lemmy.world 14 points 3 days ago (1 children)

From your experience, why do you think that is? Mostly social media? If so, what about it? Bad parenting? The whole Covid remote stuff? Is it economically driven? Are the schools doing anything differently that could cause it?

[–] sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz 23 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I would love to pin it on one thing, like social media. While I felt, feel, like that was a big variable in the downfall, I can't underestimate the loss of the "American Dream". I felt like phones should be banned. But some teachers felt like phones could be integrated into the curriculum. I could see both points, but honestly I just felt like society had passed me by. One of my master teachers, when I had been student teaching 25 years previously, said it was time to go when the students no longer entertained you. I felt like that was about right. I don't think knowledge at your fingertips is a reason not to actually learn stuff.

[–] WhatYouNeed@lemmy.world 7 points 3 days ago

Thanks for sharing that. Like any job, when it's no longer fun, it's time for a change.

[–] GrumpyDuckling@sh.itjust.works 21 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Covid really fucked them in not getting normal socialization at school and put a lot of kids behind by a couple of years accedemically. Right now 4/5th grade and up are really screwed. Plus parents just aren't engaged.

[–] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago

Covid really fucked them in not getting normal socialization at school

Don't worry, they will be bullied throughout their life. Missing a couple years of bullying won't hurt.

[–] ThomasCrappersGhost@feddit.uk 12 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I’d at least consider parents aren’t engaged due to time and energy, cause of pressures at work.

Also, when I was at school there were teachers that put extra time and effort in with kids that were top of the class and bottom of the class. Bet it wouldn’t be like that now cause everyone is so rundown.

[–] GrumpyDuckling@sh.itjust.works 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

The curriculum has changed so much and policies require that kids with learning disabilities can have an IEP (Individualized Education Program) and teachers have to come up with alternative learning for multiple kids, leaving them with little time to do anything else. On top of that, experienced teachers have stated that behavior has taken a sharp decline. They no longer separate the problem kids from the rest of the class because studies have shown that their outcomes are better if they remain in normal classes. However, this forces teachers to deal with constant disruptions which causes negative effects on the other students.

[–] octopus_ink@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 day ago

policies require that kids with learning disabilities can have an IEP (Individualized Education Program)and teachers have to come up with alternative learning for multiple kids, leaving them with little time to do anything else.

Please don't throw mud at IEPs. I grew up in the 70s when all the "retarded" kids were lumped in together regardless of issue, and now have a son who can only attend public school due to having an IEP and specialized support.

If more money needs to be spent to help teachers (including getting more of them or more help for those who there are) I'm all for it, but this sounds a little current-POTUS-ish.

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[–] Madzielle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 3 days ago (4 children)

I am, not great at parenting, I've made hella mistakes. I've only one son and do my best.

The number of teachers/therapists (my son works a few programs for his needs) that have been floored by my willingness to parent and hold my son accountable for his actions, is far too high.

While I'll take the compliment being "a breath of fresh air" (an actual compliment from a therapist) it bothers me more parents cant take thier own faults to accountability nor hold their children to any standard of conduct really saddens me. I shouldn't be a wildflower in a field of dirt, it should be a field of flowers damn. A silly metaphor but you get my point hopefully.

[–] bradboimler@lemmy.world 7 points 3 days ago

I am, not great at parenting, I've made hella mistakes. I've only one son and do my best.

It sounds like you are

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[–] smeenz@lemmy.nz 11 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Those kids are the next generations parents. What are their kids going to be like?

[–] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Wage slaves who pay rent to landlords

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[–] metaldream@sopuli.xyz 8 points 3 days ago (1 children)

It's mass narcissism and it's going to destroy our society.

If I don't see signs of change soon, I'm getting tf out of here.

[–] Photuris@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

This is it. We’re a Narcissistic culture, and it’s getting worse.

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[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I'll broaden it to not just social media, but the totality of endless scrolling social media, plus endless access to narcissist "influencers", plus addicting video games (inspired by gambling patterns), plus must watch addicting TV shows and movies on demand. A lot of this is endless dopamine machine. Add in both parents working and only children with no siblings is less socialization.

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 4 points 3 days ago

Not just the US. One of our school districts can't fail anyone and your final grade is determined by the work you hand in.

[–] SunshineJogger@feddit.org 6 points 3 days ago

Based on who America voted for president I don't feel very surprised about the issues and behavior of parents.

I would be surprised if this were the case in every state though.

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