The Educator Magazine U.K. May-August issue - Magazine - Page 61
How to tackle misogyny in schools
It’s vital that misogyny in schools is challenged and
misogynistic views and opinions undermined. In doing so,
schools can help to protect female students and members
of staff and change views before they become violent and
aggressive. Whilst tackling misogyny is everyone’s
responsibility as it manifests in all facets of society, teachers
are well placed to educate young people and encourage
them to question the veracity of what they see online.
Challenging these views diminishes the power of the echo
chamber and reiterates to young people that these views are
not only unacceptable, but also that they have no place in
the real world. Ways to tackle misogyny in schools include:
• Implementing a whole-school, zero tolerance approach
-This can raise standards across the entire school and set the
expectation from a young age that misogynistic views will
not be tolerated. Challenging misogyny can’t be done in a
one off, school wide assembly. It needs to be embedded in all
aspects of school life and upheld throughout a child’s school
career in order to be effective and to raise standards school
wide.
• Learning to recognise the signs - Gaining an understanding
of the slang and emojis used to spread misogynistic views
enables teachers to recognise and challenge it when they
see or hear it.
• Teaching about healthy relationships - Social media and the
internet dominate the lives of young people in a way that
no other generation has experienced. Subsequently, they
can often become immersed in online communities more so
than the real world. Teaching children about healthy
relationships encourages them to engage with the real
world, question what they see online and learn the
importance of mutual respect, trust and equality.
• Providing anti-misogyny lessons - By providing
anti-misogyny lessons on a regular basis, teachers can
tackle toxic masculinity and misogynistic rhetoric.
Moreover, children can be taught to recognise the signs of
misogyny in others, how to challenge that behaviour and
how to spot dangerous content online that can lead to the
development of more extreme views.
• Engaging with external educational resources - Tackling
these topics can feel daunting for teachers and many can
feel out of their depth. However, there are an increasing
number of resources available and it’s important that
schools engage with and utilise these where possible, rather
than avoiding tackling the problem under the guise of
inadequate resources.
Dr Anderson continues: “One of the most effective ways to
tackle misogyny is through education and training.
By building knowledge and understanding, staff can better
recognise the signs and respond with confidence.
“Training for educators plays a crucial role, as school staff are
often on the front line when it comes to tackling social issues.
Training such as Online Safety and Harms, Harmful Sexual
Behaviour in Schools, and Prevent Duty Training equip
professionals with the tools they need to address misogyny
in a meaningful, informed and proactive way to effectively
safeguard children and young people in education.”
For more tips and in-depth guidance, visit High Speed
Training Hub, or our article: Misogyny in Schools: Guidance
for Teachers
