Sexism at School: Educator Survey Results

By Ally Oliver-Perham

Blog • 12th December, 2024

Please note: readers are advised that this article contains sexist and offensive language.

Sexism and gender-based abuse is alive and well in today’s classrooms. After encountering the important work of feminist researchers Dr Stephanie Westcott, Prof Steven Roberts and Xuenan Zhao from Monash University — in particular, their 2023 paper on the nefarious influence of figures from the manosphere like Andrew Tate on school students — the Victorian Women’s Trust was motivated to act. 

We wanted to hear from primary and secondary school educators who have also observed students perpetuating sexism and/or sexist abuse in classroom settings. To facilitate this, we created a survey, seeking to understand the daily challenges teachers face; available resources and support services for teachers and students; as well as any gaps or potential solutions educators have identified.

 

 

Demographics of survey respondents

 

We heard from 138 teachers in total. Many provided thoughtful and quite detailed answers about their experiences, and the notable gaps they had observed in education and support. The majority of respondents identified as female (86.2%); whereas the rest identified as male (12.4%) or non-binary (1.4%). 

86.2% of educators were from Victoria, with 72.5% having taught predominately in public school settings. Professional experience varied: 27.5% had been teaching for more than 21 years; 23.9% had 11-20 years experience; 26.9% had been teaching for 6-10 years; and 21.7% were new to the profession, having been an educator for between 1-5 years. 

The majority (83.3%) were secondary school teachers mostly in co-educational settings (85.5%). Of the respondents we surveyed, 90.6% were currently teaching.

 

 

Is sexist abuse on the rise in schools, according to educators? 

 

We asked educators if they believed that sexism and/or sexist abuse was on the rise in classrooms over the last five years. 76.8% said yes. Educators provided examples, ranging from mild disrespect all the way to physical intimidation and threats:

Mild to moderate disrespect and gender stereotyping: 

  • “Boys telling girls they are not good at certain things.”
  • “Making jokes based on sexist beliefs.”
  • “Disrespectful language, ranking of female bodies, putting females down.”
  • “Claiming that I wouldn’t know anything because I’m a woman.”
  • “Boys freely articulate their criticisms of any feminist thought.”

Open defiance and intimidation: 

  • “I have had students offer for me to ‘check their pockets, put your hand in there and check.’”
  • “Lack of recognition of authority of female teachers.”
  • “Boys dominate, Andrew Tate appreciation, disrespect towards female teachers but not male teachers.”
  • “Barking at females.”

Explicitly sexist behaviour:

  • “Noted increase in sexual comments by male students and marked increase in inappropriate conversations in class.”
  • “Sexualised comments [directed at students and teachers], extremely explicit drawings of sex acts.”
  • “Inappropriate comments about appearance; constant interruption of female students and staff when they are speaking.”
  • “Making disgusting comments towards female peers ‘but we’re mates so it’s ok’ and misuse of the term consent.”

Harassment and physical threats:

  • “Using their height to stand over me as a form of intimidation in a conflict situation. Moaning, calling me a “Karen”, manspreading with feet on desks.”
  • “Male students intimidating female students with chair throwing.”
  • “Increasing use of gendered slurs, explicit disrespect of female teachers and peers.”
  • “Myself and female students have experienced standover behaviour, explicit comments, and vulgar language.”
  • “Sexualised language, noises, actions, fantasies told to me about me, groping.”
  • “Playing the ‘penis’ game, loudly playing audio of sex sounds on laptops.”
  • “Male students choking each other in their ‘play fighting’.”
  • “Boys ‘teasing’ their friends by calling each other’s mother a ‘slut’ and a ‘whore.’”
  • “A Year 12 boy used the names of hardcore pornographic actors in a creative writing assessment.”

 

How is sexism and/or sexist abuse impacting other students?

 

Teachers had firm responses to this question. Common responses included:

  • “Creating an unsafe learning environment.”
  • “Female students seem to ‘laugh off’ sexist abuse from male students, female teachers are resigned to the abuse due to lack of action from leadership.”
  • “I am not able to teach to the level that I usually do. Girls in the class are significantly impacted.”
  • “Female students are too scared to speak up in class and answer questions, or be dominant in class or take leadership roles.”

 

What is driving sexist abuse?

 

Social media, lack of parental involvement, and pornography were most cited as key influences on sexist abuse. Educators were emphatic in their responses about the impact of digital.

One respondent stated that the problem was driven by: “algorithms and porn. Boys are exposed to sexist ideas in the manosphere, and because they are drawn to it, because it gives them a sense of power, they are given more of the same content by algorithms in social media. Social media companies like Tik Tok and YouTube make a lot of money from views so they profit when they keep generating clicks.”


Educator’s experiences of sexism

 

71.7% of educators said that they had personally experienced sexism or sexist abuse in their workplace. On further enquiry: 

  • More than half (51.4%) said they had not received adequate support from management
  • 26.1% affirmed that they had received adequate support

The remaining 22.5% stated that they had not personally experienced sexism in the workplace.

 

 

Representation of women’s history in the school curriculum

 

Recently much discussion has been raised about the effectiveness of teaching the history of the women’s movement to contextualise women’s rights today, and the need for ongoing gender equality progress. We asked educators to reflect on the curriculum and whether it is currently providing this knowledge to students. 

  • 68.8% said the history of the women’s movement was not adequately represented
  • 22.5% were unsure
  • Just 8.7% said that the women’s movement was adequately represented

Teachers elaborated on their answer, providing statements such as: 

  • “Civil rights and feminism barely feature in the Victorian curriculum 7-12. It is up to individual schools to select how the curriculum is implemented.”
  • “It is largely not the focus and touched on very quickly and tokenistically.”
  • “Women’s lib and empowerment needs to be explicitly stated in the Victorian curriculum starting in younger year levels.”
  • “I don’t believe women’s issues have a chance within the ‘crowded curriculum’ space”

We also asked: Do you believe students are receiving a thorough education on the barriers which have historically held women back? Responses were divided:

  • 76.8% said no
  • 15.2% were unsure
  • 8% said yes

As a follow up question, we asked educators if they had any suggestions for improving the representation of women and women’s history in the current curriculum. Responses varied along the lines of:

  • “Including more explicit content on these points in the curriculum.”
  • “Including it within multiple curriculums.”
  • “The curriculum is full. Too many experts have unrealistic expectations on schools, that they can deliver all sorts of programmes. Because there are so many demands it is apparent that almost nothing can be effectively implemented, including the core curriculum.”
  • “Change the history books to include more women’s perspectives and roles, not just how women were treated badly.”

One particular respondent outlined the problems as they saw it: 

“Given I work in a disadvantaged school, I think Education Departments (both State and Federal) have to really step up and fill the gaps created by inequitable funding, staffing, and cultural/socio-economic barriers within education.

It’s all well and good to tell schools that respectful relationships or gendered perspectives on history be taught within a school, but when the entire onus is put on individual teachers and schools to develop that curriculum, train teachers and build capacity to deliver that curriculum confidently, and provide additional resources and supports in schools to address issues around those areas, it puts so much extra pressure on an already overburdened system.

These can be incredibly difficult topics to discuss safely in any classroom and even more so when teachers are also struggling to manage social, cultural, and other attitudes and biases in the classroom. At least by providing a baseline framework and resources, e.g. lesson plans, educators, courses, etc. it might provide at least a small boost in an individual school’s ability to properly cover this content.”

 

 

Conclusion

The findings from our survey reveal a troubling landscape for educators in Australia. The rise of sexism and sexist abuse in classrooms is not merely an isolated challenge but a systemic issue compounded by digital influences, insufficient curriculum support, and a lack of resources. Teachers, who are on the front lines of this battle, are clear: there is an urgent need for structural changes that prioritise respectful relationships, gender equality education, and practical support for schools.

To counteract the influence of social media algorithms and the pervasive misogyny from the manosphere, it’s critical to empower schools with comprehensive, evidence-based tools. Moving forward, it is essential for governments to invest in initiatives that support teachers, embed gender equality into the core curriculum, and provide ongoing professional development. Only by addressing these gaps can we create a learning environment where all students feel safe, respected, and empowered to challenge harmful stereotypes.

We have been heartened to hear of changes to the Victorian Respectful Relationships curriculum with explicit references and modules on Andrew Tate. However, as these educators’ responses attest, this is only one component; a more holistic approach is required for deep, cultural change. The Victorian Women’s Trust remains committed to advocating for these changes, ensuring that the voices of educators are heard and that our classrooms become spaces where equality, respect, and inclusivity can truly thrive.

 

If any of these topics raise any issues for you, please contact:

The image shows a woman wearing glasses and smiling. She is sitting near a chair outdoors. Why not on the chair? We'll never know.Ally Oliver-Perham

When she’s not managing communications at VWT, you will find Ally cheerfully bouncing on her toddler’s trampoline (with or without said toddler) or sneaking in few pages of a book. With a passion for gender equality, Ally’s interested in meaningful ways we can work together for social good.