Fact check: Post Title: 'Andrew Tate phenomena' surges in schools - with boys refusing to talk to female teacher Original Reddit link: https://old.reddit.com/r/unitedkingdom/comments/1k2j93a/andrew_tate_phenomena_surges_in_schools_with_boys/

1. Summary of the results

The claim about boys refusing to talk to female teachers due to Andrew Tate's influence is strongly substantiated by multiple independent sources. A large-scale NASUWT teaching union survey of 5,800 teachers revealed specific incidents where:

• 10-year-old boys refused to speak to female teachers specifically because of their gender ^{[1] [2]}
• Boys opted to speak to male teaching assistants instead of female teachers, explicitly citing their following of Andrew Tate as the reason ^[3]
• 59% of teachers believe social media is contributing to deteriorating pupil behavior ^[2]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original statement lacks several crucial pieces of context:

• This is part of a broader pattern of misogynistic behavior in schools, with over a third of secondary teachers reporting misogynistic behavior from pupils according to a BBC survey ^[4]
• The issue has reached government-level concern, with both Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch expressing alarm about the impacts on young people ^[1]
• The NASUWT union has specifically called for action against what they term the "dangerous influence of far-right populists and extremists" ^[1]
• The problem extends beyond just teacher-student interactions to include broader concerns about "incel culture" spreading through online platforms ^[1]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

While the headline itself isn't misleading, it oversimplifies a complex issue:

• The use of the term "phenomena" might understate what is actually a serious educational and social concern being addressed at the highest levels of government ^[1]
• The statement focuses solely on teacher-student interactions without acknowledging the broader context of social media's role in declining student behavior ^[2]

Several groups have vested interests in this narrative:

• Teachers' unions like NASUWT benefit from highlighting these issues to push for stronger regulations and support
• Social media platforms face increased scrutiny over their role in spreading such influences
• Political figures from both major parties are using this issue to demonstrate their commitment to addressing social problems ^[1]