The importance of tackling Andrew Tate head-on in schools

Whilst in custody and banned from social media, ‘influencer’ Andrew Tate doesn’t currently have a platform for his misogynistic views but his ideals are still very present.

The nature of his conspiratorial teachings and arrest on suspicion of human trafficking, rape and forming organised crime are so heinous that it would be easy to steer clear of the story, but instead it provides an opportunity. When it comes to Tate, wherever young people sit on the spectrum of disgust through to role model, many will know of him and he can serve as a relevant base for opening up conversations about gender-based abuse, racism, hate speech, homophobia and stigma around mental health.

Parents will hope that their children can take an objective view and steer clear of such issues, but the reality is that Tate has gained notoriety and was followed by huge numbers of young people, largely boys and seems to exert some significant influence over them. He is a current manifestation of a pre-existing culture and has positioned himself as ‘the antidote to woke culture’. Many see him as a masculine role model, admiring his confidence and masculinity.

Tackling this head on will provide a valuable opportunity to understand the reasons why some young people are attracted to his ideologies and create a space to critically discuss them, with boundaries, without fear of being ‘shut down’. This allows issues to be addressed rather than allowing questions to go unanswered or for his values to fester and develop. It provides a platform for young people to develop a critical lens and understand that they have ownership over whether they take part in this culture or challenge it.

Schools want their students to feel safe and happy. Sancton Wood works on the principle that a happy child is a learning child and want their students to be well-rounded, emotionally intelligent, conscientious individuals, as well as academic achievers. A big effort around pastoral care supports this, leaning on experts with an in-house child psychotherapist and various initiatives to support students’, parents’ and staffs’ wellbeing.

Sancton Wood’s Supporter’s Club, in partnership with Cambridge United Football Club, is a programme that covers a range of parenting issues but has a particular focus on the wellbeing of boys and how they can best be supported as they grow up in the modern world. It offers an exciting range of talks, activities and events and fills a gap in this particular space.

Principal Richard Settle said: “We wanted to take a more involved, therapeutic approach to the pastoral care of boys which includes their parents and other positive role models. We have always believed that our responsibility to our pupils doesn’t end at the school gates and have developed an initiative for the whole family that will really support parents, and fathers in particular, as they raise their teenage boys.”

The school recognises the importance of working in collaboration with parents and to that end has launched a Parent’s Wellbeing Programme. This offers a series of talks from experts to help them navigate the many issues affecting them and their children in today’s society. Childnet delivered a talk on ‘Keeping children safe online’, a very prevalent area, and Florence Stewart, a family therapist, offered advice on ‘What your teenage child needs from you’.

Staff training is also key. When teachers are well-trained and up to date on the latest social and emotional issues, they are better equipped to provide high-quality instruction and support to their students. Sancton Wood staff recently attended the Dukes Education conference which recognised the importance of wellbeing with a whole host of talks centred around it. The session on ‘Centring pupil voices as we tackle harmful sexual behaviours’, delivered by Bold Voices, unsurprisingly used Andrew Tate as central case study. They offer a helpful toolkit for conversations about him and what he represents (see boldvoices.co.uk).

Leadership positions for students in school give them the opportunity to have their voices heard and to support others, most directly at Sancton Wood as Anti-Bullying Ambassadors but groups such as the Charity Committee and Student Forum allow students to participate positively as active young citizens.

Richard Settle said: “All of our initiatives become part of a necessary effort to keep our children safe, informed and aware of pernicious individuals such as Tate; allowing us to challenge, discuss and educate our children effectively. There is such a need to have open and honest conversations about gender issues, challenge stereotypes and discrimination when they occur, and provide positive role models and examples of healthy, respectful behaviour.”