Quick! It Must Be Time To Repeat 'Adolescence'...

That'll fix it:

Teachers’ leaders have said a “masculinity crisis” is fermenting in schools across the UK, with misogynistic abuse of female staff on the increase, leaving victims “traumatised”, “demeaned” and “humiliated”.

Oh no! Can a documentary help? Our Prime Minister would say so, after all... 

One teacher said she was called a “fucking slag” by a pupil. Another said a student had made nude AI images of her, while other boys joked about raping girls, then laughed when challenged.

'Boys' and 'girls' of no race or class or nationality, it has to be noted. 

Matt Wrack, NASUWT general secretary, warned of a ticking timebomb and called for better support and training to deal with the impact of the “manosphere” in schools.“These pupils are the same boys and young men who will go on to be husbands, fathers and colleagues in the workplace. They may eventually develop influence in the public sphere. We must help them and their victims – including teachers – before it is too late.”

Well, when they grow up, they will find spouses and workplaces less tolerant than schoolyards. 

The latest poll focuses on female staff rather than students. Female teachers described being ignored, mocked and patronised by their pupils, including being referred to as “love”, told to “calm down” and belittled with comments like “must be that time of the month”.

Try it in the workplace and it'll lead to an uncomfortable chat with HR. 

They complained about sexualised sounds and gestures, which are used to humiliate and demean, and not enough support from parents or school management. 

“Parents have told me if I can’t handle teenage boys then I need to ‘work in a fucking nursery’.”

They might just have a point, it has to be said... 

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Misogynistic views are not innate, they are learned, and we are committed to using every possible tool to achieve our mission of halving violence against women and girls.”

Except excluding the males doing it? Or challenging the culture and religous background if that's a factor?

Why Do You Stay In An Abusing Relationship?

I mean, surely your training should tell you to get out fast, shouldn't it?

Thank you for continuing to highlight the concerns about the Samaritans charity (Samaritans to push on with branch closures despite volunteers’ objections, 1 October). I am a volunteer in the north-east of England and I and many of our volunteers have felt very unhappy about the proposed changes.

Those 'proposed changes ' being closing premises and expecting volunteers to work from home, unsupported by colleagues when they have a tough day at work. Probably the only organisation pusuing this, when all the others are trying to row back from it and get staff back into the office. 

It is really rewarding being a Samaritan, but can also be very challenging. Volunteers need a high degree of motivation, and this has inevitably been affected by the proposals.

Well, you are volunnteers - stop volunteering.  

Interestingly, in 2021 our chair, Keith Leslie, published A Question of Leadership, which is about leading organisational change. According to the Amazon description of this publication “60% to 70% of change initiatives fail”, caused by the leader’s “inability to fully consider the consequences and magnitude of the situation”. Also it states that change initiatives often overlook the mental health of those involved. I haven’t read this book, but I really can’t understand how its author could consider continuing as our chair when the leadership has run roughshod over the charity’s very core: the volunteers.

Gosh, a 'do as we tell you, not as we do' head of an organisation, who could see that one coming?

I am sure that most volunteers realise that change is inevitable and important. The drastic measures initially proposed do not take into account the dedication, loyalty and hard work that it takes to keep us all going.

We still have no details of the new proposals, but a kinder and more inclusive approach would be greatly appreciated.

Well, don't just whine about it - dig deep and tell yourself what you should tell those on the other end of the phone being bullied and disrespected - pull out, stop co-operating and leave.