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Teachers\u2019 leaders have said a \u201cmasculinity crisis\u201d is fermenting in schools across the UK, with misogynistic abuse of female staff on the increase, leaving victims \u201ctraumatised\u201d, \u201cdemeaned\u201d and \u201chumiliated\u201d.<\/p>\n
Almost a quarter of female teachers who took part in a union survey said they have been the target of misogyny from a pupil over the past 12 months \u2013 the highest proportion in the last four years of surveys.<\/p>\n
One teacher said she was called a \u201cfucking slag\u201d by a pupil. Another said a student had made nude AI images of her, while other boys joked about raping girls, then laughed when challenged.<\/p>\n
The 5,000-strong poll by the NASUWT teachers\u2019 union tracked a rising trend in misogyny directed at female teachers in recent years, from 17.4% in 2023, climbing to 19.5% in 2024, 22.2% in 2025, rising to 23.4% this year.<\/p>\n
Matt Wrack, NASUWT general secretary, warned of a ticking timebomb and called for better support and training to deal with the impact of the \u201cmanosphere\u201d in schools.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver 70% of the teaching profession is female,\u201d he said. \u201cIf female teachers are reporting that they cannot contain gender-based aggression in their classrooms \u2013 and that is exactly what they are telling NASUWT \u2013 then we have a ticking timebomb on our hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese pupils are the same boys and young men who will go on to be husbands, fathers and colleagues in the workplace. They may eventually develop influence in the public sphere. We must help them and their victims \u2013 including teachers \u2013 before it is too late.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, misogyny was also high on the agenda at the annual conference of the NASUWT\u2019s sister union, the National Education Union (NEU), which linked the increase in schools with extreme online content and personalities.<\/p>\n
Daniel Kebede, NEU general secretary, said: \u201cAddictive social media algorithms are feeding our children harmful content on a daily basis. That content is having clear negative effects.\u201d<\/p>\n
The problem of misogyny among boys and young men has also been brought to national attention in recent weeks by Louis Theroux\u2019s documentary, Inside the Manosphere, and before that by the award-winning drama Adolescence.<\/p>\n
The latest poll focuses on female staff rather than students. Female teachers described being ignored, mocked and patronised by their pupils, including being referred to as \u201clove\u201d, told to \u201ccalm down\u201d and belittled with comments like \u201cmust be that time of the month\u201d.<\/p>\n
They complained about sexualised sounds and gestures, which are used to humiliate and demean, and not enough support from parents or school management. \u201cParents have told me if I can\u2019t handle teenage boys then I need to \u2018work in a fucking nursery\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
One said she was asked sexual or inappropriate questions, while another documented her experiences: \u201cTold I\u2019m a poor teacher. Asked why I don\u2019t smile more. Meowed at by male student.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another said: \u201cIt wears me down and angers me when it is not taken seriously enough by management (who are mostly male) who perhaps don\u2019t appreciate the impact it has.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wrack called for more staff training. \u201cWe have a masculinity crisis brewing in our schools. Teachers desperately need increased support to deal with this new frontier of behaviour management \u2013 it affects the wellbeing of everyone in the classroom.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need mandatory professional development packages to help teachers identify, challenge and safely de-escalate behaviour rooted in online radicalisation, sexism and hate.\u201d<\/p>\n
The issue will be debated by delegates at the NASUWT annual conference in Birmingham on Saturday. Polling on members\u2019 experiences of misogyny in the classroom was first added to the NASUWT\u2019s Big Question survey in 2023.<\/p>\n