In South Australia, an ongoing study has revealed disturbing behaviours exhibited by male students towards female teachers, as the growing influence of harmful public figures continues to draw media attention and public concern.
Dr Samantha Schulz, a senior lecturer in education the University of Adelaide is leading a study into how the internet is shaping students and teaching. The survey aims to unpack the growing sexist and anti-social views among male students, and build momentum towards getting a national response to anti-social language and behaviours in schools.
The researchers launched an anonymous survey in February, calling on members of the Teachers of Adelaide Facebook group to respond to questions about sexism, racism or homophobia by students at their schools.
Of the 132 responses received so far, almost 80 per cent were from female teachers — many of whom observed an increasing use of misogynistic language and behaviours by male students — in some cases, from students as young as five.
One female teacher reported hearing male students express sentiments such as: “The pay gap doesn’t exist”; “Women lie about rape” and “Men are superior.”
Teachers also reported seeing more frequent use of vulgar, sexualised and aggressive language during their interactions with female students and staff. Some teachers noted hearing their male students use terms such as “slut” and describing women as “rapeable”.
“Boys are increasingly using misogynistic language towards female students and teachers, telling them to ‘make me a sandwich’,” one female teacher stated.
According to Dr Schulz, the sexist behaviour and abusive language enacted by male students can be associated with the rising popularity of internet “manfluencers” such as Andrew Tate.
“Such influencers champion a style of populism entangled with racism, xenophobia, trans and homophobia, which believes boys and men are victims of feminist gains,” she explained in The Conversation.
“Acts of “male supremacy” are therefore needed to restore a supposedly natural gender order.”
So far, her study reflects recent research from Monash University which found that female teachers have been experiencing a shift in the behaviour of boys following COVID lockdowns and the rise of Andrew Tate’s popularity.
The lead author of that study, Dr Stephanie Wescott said their research found that “male supremacy in classrooms was rampant amongst Australian schools.”
“Our participants detailed overt displays of authority and dominance by boys towards women teachers, reflecting a resurgence of traditional patriarchal norms,” she noted.
In Dr Schulz’s own research, she also examined the way male students operate in groups to physically intimidate their female teachers and students, such as confining them into corners away from the attention of male staff.
One female respondent said she observed male students walking “quickly behind female teachers to rush them down stairs.”
Another teacher said she had male students invading her personal space, and “entering my classroom at break time/ coming up to my car window and pointing for me to wind it down to just stand there or getting their friends to call out my name when I walk past.”
“They do this when I am alone and there are no witnesses,” she revealed.
“I know these behaviours are intended to be intimidating and to make me uneasy,” this respondent continued. “I find it disconcerting that by the age of 14 or 15 they know how to use their presence to menace […] if they are behaving like this with me, what are they like with young women their own age or the women in their families?”
Most of the survey respondents said there was insufficient or a total lack of school support.
The latest findings of the survey are confirming results from other recent studies in the UK and Canada, which have linked the harmful behaviour and attitudes of male students to Tate’s views.
According to Dr Schulz, the first step in correcting this issue is “identifying, reporting and responding to gendered violence and harassment via a nationwide code of conduct and reporting guide.”
“This would be just one part of the solution,” she said. “But if we have an understanding of the scope of the problem and clear guidelines to address it, these would be crucial steps towards making our schools and our society safer for everyone.”