Reports of violence in Scotland’s schools have repeatedly made headlines, but an often-overlooked aspect is the gendered nature of this violence. NASUWT Scotland reported last year that female teachers experience violence at more than six times the rate of their male counterparts.

Mike Corbett, NASUWT National Official for Scotland, described the situation starkly: “Sexist and misogynistic abuse and harassment of female teachers and pupils in our schools is a daily occurrence.”

The lack of government action on this issue is alarming. Girls are growing up in a world where violence against women is normalised. Last week, a man found legally liable for sexual abuse in a high-profile civil case was elected as President of the United States, sending a chilling message about how society values women.

The scale of the problem is clear. In October, the Girl Guides published heart-breaking data showing that 75% of girls aged 11–16 see or experience sexism, a figure that rises to 95% for young women aged 17–21. The online world is no safer, with 77% of girls reporting online harm in the past year. Figures like Andrew Tate, widely criticised for promoting misogynistic views, have made a rapid return to prominence due largely to Twitter/X. The UK’s anti-fascist organisation, Hope Not Hate, had previously succeeded in having Tate banned from most platforms. His influence on young people is not abstract; teachers see it playing out in schools.

As a teacher who manages an online forum with over 4,000 colleagues, I see daily accounts of the impact misogyny has on staff and students. One teacher shared how a pupil hospitalised her; another missed a family wedding because she was unwilling to attend covered in bruises. Teachers have been forced to teach boys who sexually assaulted them and have even faced threats of further violence.

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What is particularly demoralising for many female teachers is the disparity in how pupils treat them compared to male colleagues. Teachers frequently report that boys who refuse to behave appropriately in their classrooms will suddenly become respectful and cooperative when a male teacher steps in. This discrepancy reinforces damaging ideas about authority and respect being tied to gender and undermines female teachers’ ability to feel safe and supported in their roles.

When children see that even female teachers are unsafe, how can we expect girls to feel protected? Misogynistic behaviour towards female staff is on the rise, and teachers are increasingly seeking advice on how to tackle it. Even primary teachers report young boys idolising Andrew Tate, calling him “cool” and dismissing media reports about his actions as lies. This toxic culture, fostered online, is spilling over into classrooms. My own husband, also a teacher, was recently asked by boys if he "lets" me go out...

It is no wonder girls and women feel so unsafe when they are bombarded by these ideologies from so many angles. Organisations like Everyone’s Invited have done vital work to expose rape culture in schools. Their 2022 report highlighted hundreds of instances of harassment and abuse in Scottish schools and universities. Shockingly, statistics suggest one rape occurs in UK schools every day, and it was recently reported that 14-year-old girls are the demographic reporting the most rapes.

Scotland has made some attempts to address these issues. The Relationships, Sexual Health, and Parenting (RSHP) programme aligns with World Health Organization standards, teaching young people about consent and healthy relationships. But much more needs to be done.

Schools cannot allow harmful ideologies to infiltrate under the guise of education. In 2023, The Herald reported that the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), an anti-abortion group, had visited many schools in Scotland. Freedom of Information (FOI) requests revealed that many of these schools provided no pro-choice alternative during these sessions. The group’s messaging, including claims that abortion is unnecessary even for children who have been raped (according to its spokesperson on TikTok), denies girls autonomy over their bodies and reinforces harmful narratives. With emboldened abusers like the white nationalist influencer Nick Fuentes posting videos maniacally laughing and saying men control women’s bodies, girls should be receiving a clear message that they own and decide what to do with their bodies - nobody else.

Earlier this year, I petitioned the Scottish Government for schools to provide stigma-challenging and health-focused abortion education aligned with World Health Organisation recommendations. I wasn’t even asking for anti-abortion groups to be banned; just for schools to ensure young people receive factual information. Despite collecting a good number of signatures, gaining support from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, and providing submissions quoting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the petition was rejected. Strangely, the petitions committee actively consulted with an anti-abortion organisation. Girls and young people deserve better than this refusal to even consider mandating balanced, accurate education.

Even primary teachers report young boys idolising Andrew TateEven primary teachers report young boys idolising Andrew Tate (Image: PA)

Misogyny in schools is not just a problem for girls. Patriarchy also harms boys. The gender norms that suppress girls also prevent boys from being their true selves, as they feel compelled to conform to traditional masculine ideals. The effects of an ideology that tells boys not to cry and to "man up" can be seen in suicide rates, which disproportionately affect young men. Toxic online influencers exploit boys by grooming them into harmful ideologies that teach them to see women as inferior and perpetuate an unhealthy view of masculinity, which harms them too.

The misogynistic ideologies spread online are deeply harmful and have devastating real-world consequences. They must be treated with the same urgency as other forms of extremism that threaten young people’s well-being. We need to provide boys with safe spaces and guidance to navigate these challenges.

Ultimately, Scotland must confront these issues with urgency and seriousness. If even our female teachers are unsafe, what hope do girls in schools have of feeling protected? Tackling misogyny head on will require systemic change in schools, government, and society. Girls and boys alike deserve to feel safe, valued, and supported within their classrooms—and it’s long past time we prioritised them.

Gemma Clark is a teacher and education writer. She is a feminist campaigner particularly on girl’s rights within education