Labour plan to curb ‘scourge’ of misogyny in classrooms

SCHOOLBOYS will coach younger male pupils on how to call out a “scourge” of misogyny in classrooms, under plans drawn up by Labour.

Older boys will be given mentor training by Department for Education officials before they begin coaching younger pupils if Labour wins the next election, according to the proposals.

Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education secretary, has pledged to introduce the training as part of a plan to tackle a post-pandemic rise in sexual harassment in classrooms.

Announcing the plans, she blamed the rise on social media content from influencers such as Andrew Tate, the self-described “king of toxic masculinity”.

She said: “Misogyny is a growing scourge in our classrooms and if we fail to tackle it now, we store up huge problems for society in years to come.

“Female pupils and teachers deserve the right to a safe space, but it is evident that content from influencers such as Andrew Tate is having a lasting and damaging impact on boys and young men.”

Tate, who was banned from Instagram and Facebook last year, used social media to share his views with male fans, including comparing women to dogs and claiming that women are the property of their husbands.

It is understood that Labour would aim for the programme to reach more than 1.1 million teenagers across 1,000 schools over four years of a parliament.

Labour has previously said it would put lessons on treating women and girls with respect on to the school curriculum as part of a pledge to halve violence against females.

All pupils would be given lessons in how to deal with online hate and misinformation under the proposals.

Meanwhile, schools would be encouraged to work together to spread “best practice” in dealing with misogyny and sexual harassment.