From my last articleseveral teachers – whether they teach citizenship and Quebec culture or other disciplines such as French – have confided to me their dismay at the discourse that their students absorb online.
The release of the documentary Alphas made me think about an increasingly visible phenomenon: the rise of masculinist discourse in our schools. And the problem is clear: we are ill-prepared to deal with these new ideologies, which are spreading at breakneck speed, mainly online.
The gurus of teenagers in search of meaning
Take the case of Andrew Tate. Have you ever listened to one of his videos? It’s clever and well put together. We would almost forget his accusations, notably of human trafficking! The speech? Self-confidence, success, perseverance. Said the same way, it could pass for self-help harmless. But imagine a teenager who comes across this content without the slightest critical filter. For him, it’s the recipe for success, served on a beautiful silver platter. Except that, beneath the surface, lies an ideology steeped in misogyny that is quietly infiltrating our classrooms. These messages become their reference, and the consequences reverberate in our schools (and if we rely on Francis Pilon’s investigation into Julien Bournival-Vaugeois, later on the financial health of these young people who no longer have an education financial).
Documentaries by Léa Clermont-Dion I salute you bitch and Simon Coutu Alphas demonstrate how masculinist rhetoric is accompanied by a regression in women’s rights. Digital violence against women is no longer a marginal phenomenon, it is a ground wave. And its repercussions are felt in our schools, in the form of slutshamingsexist remarks and intimidation particularly targeting young girls. The documentary Fear in my stomach by Léa Clermont-Dion shows that this digital dynamic contributes to the real and growing threat to women’s rights. These are not isolated incidents, but rather a progressive and insidious radicalization which is already taking root in our classes…
The trivialization of digital violence
Many teachers have noticed an increase in sexist remarks and misogynistic behavior. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as the situation is often worse online. And the anti-bullying plans of school service centers do not integrate these new realities. Too often, school management is not required to intervene when incidents occur online, because the school code only covers what happens on the physical grounds of the school. This gap in our education system trivializes and normalizes sexist behavior, thereby reinforcing a culture of impunity.
There is an urgent need for Minister Drainville to expand school policies to include online violence. It is also important that management supports teachers and speakers, regardless of the discipline taught, to counter masculinist and sexist discourse.
Let’s give the gift of critical thinking to young people so that they are able to detect and deconstruct the manipulations they encounter online.
