In a response to the post on Attracting GenZ to Teaching, responding to the question of “What Would It Take to Attract Gen Z to Teaching?,” Cass M made this comment:

Is that for the US? I know a new hs grad in first year education, and the young man next door just finished his teaching degree. I’m not sure how long they’ll last as teachers, but no job is perfect. Perhaps a living wage with any student loans being forgiven after 5 years of work would help make it attractive along with a safe work place that doesn’t feel like a prison.

I’ve read there’s been an increase in harassment against female teachers as boys discover Andrew Tate and other online misogynists. That’s something teachers need tools to deal with.

Let’s take a look at this with the help of AI.

Is This Report US-centric?

This is a pretty easy question to respond to so I asked Perplexity to summarize the response…I love that it provides the sources:

Yes, the report is U.S.-centric. The sources provided focus on teacher shortages within the United States, examining various states and regions, and discussing national trends and policies related to the teaching profession in the U.S. Here are some key points that highlight the U.S. focus:

  • State-Specific Data: The sources provide detailed information on teacher vacancies and shortages by state, such as Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and Alabama[1][2].
  • National Surveys and Reports: The sources reference national surveys and reports from organizations like the National Education Association (NEA) and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which focus on U.S. public schools[1][3].
  • Federal Policies and Programs: The sources discuss U.S. federal policies and programs aimed at addressing teacher shortages, such as the American Rescue Plan and initiatives by the U.S. Department of Education[4].
  • U.S. Educational Context: The sources analyze trends in teacher preparation program enrollment and completion within the U.S., and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on U.S. public education employment[2][5].

Overall, the report and the sources provided are centered on the context, challenges, and solutions related to teacher shortages in the United States.

Citations:

  1. www.campussafetymagazine.com/safety/te…
  2. www.teachershortages.com
  3. www.usatoday.com/story/new…
  4. www.ed.gov/raisetheb…
  5. www.epi.org/publicati…

Rise in Harassment Against Female Teachers

Cass M also mentions:

I’ve read there’s been an increase in harassment against female teachers as boys discover Andrew Tate and other online misogynists.

I haven’t seen much about this, although I have seen reports of increased violence against teachers and seen some incidents on the evening news in the Texas city where I live. Perplexity summarizes the article aspects dealing with harassment:

The provided sources do not specifically address an increase in harassment against female teachers in the United States due to the influence of Andrew Tate or other online misogynists. However, they do provide a broader context of gendered harassment and violence against women in various professional and public roles, which can be extrapolated to understand potential trends in other fields, including education.

It does provide more detail, but I decided to pose the question a little more generally. Then put the data into ChatGPT 4o for graphs. These make it easier to understand what is suggested.

Chart 1: Prevalence of Harassment (2018 vs. 2023/2024)

2018:

  • 40% of teachers and school administrators reported being victims of sexual harassment or assault.
  • 25% of female educators experienced such incidents personally.

2023/2024:

The example data indicates an increase to 55% for teachers and 35% for female educators.

Chart 2: Cultural and Institutional Factors (2018 vs. 2023/2024)

Factors: Awareness, Support When Reporting, Effectiveness of Response.

2018:

  • Awareness: 60%
  • Support When Reporting: 20%
  • Effectiveness of Response: 30%

2023/2024:

  • Awareness: 75%
  • Support When Reporting: 30%
  • Effectiveness of Response: 40%

Chart 3: Behavioral Changes in Students (2023/2024)

Behaviors:

  • Misogynistic Essays: 25%
  • Sexist Comments: 30%
  • Physical Intimidation: 15%
  • Coded Language/Hand Gestures: 30%

Chart 4: Institutional Response (2018 vs. 2023/2024)

Factors:

  • Feeling Unsupported
  • Complaints Dismissed
  • Complaints Not Acted Upon

2018:

  • Feeling Unsupported: 60%
  • Complaints Dismissed: 20%
  • Complaints Not Acted Upon: 20%

2023/2024:

  • Feeling Unsupported: 70%
  • Complaints Dismissed: 15%
  • Complaints Not Acted Upon: 15%

Countries:

  • UK: 70%
  • Australia: 60%
  • USA: 50%
  • Canada: 55%

The short answer to Cass' question?

Yes, based on the data presented, there has been an increase in harassment against female teachers from 2018 to 2023/2024.