Worcester News Column - WMRSASC CEO, Jocelyn anderson
The recent Netflix show Adolescence has prompted much discussion around misogyny among school age boys.
The creators have been to Downing Street to discuss the issues and, as a result, many people are calling for the programme to be shown in schools.
The series begins with the police bursting into 14-year-old Jamie Miller’s family home and arresting him on suspicion of murdering Katie, his classmate.
There are no easy answers for his motivation, no dark family secrets or abuse are disclosed, but it questions what leads one boy to commit murder when others do not.
It touches on Incels (involuntary celibate), influencers, radicalisation, attitudes and behaviours towards women and girls.
It also highlights how little we, as adults, understand the pressures of peer and school relationships.
Recent reports show children feel less safe in school than before the pandemic.
The UCL (University College London) report (2025) says only 21 per cent of girls and 31 per cent of boys in England strongly agreed they were safe at school.
The teacher’s union NASUWT has reported a surge in levels of violence and abuse in the classroom with over 27 per cent of female teachers reporting verbal abuse several times a week.
And nearly 30 per cent of teachers from black, Caribbean or African backgrounds reported regular physical abuse from pupils — double that of their white counterparts.
Something certainly needs to be done but showing ‘Adolescence’ in schools is not the answer.
It is a brilliant and gritty drama — not an educational resource — and to show a 15-rated show to children across secondary schools is an unsafe, knee-jerk reaction.
Teachers are not experts in male violence against women and girls, and it is unfair to ask them to show, discuss or stop the film to ask questions to provide context or safety.
The series itself shows students responding to police and teacher-led discussions with shock, dismissal, mockery and disruption, all of which are common when children are faced with traumatic, disturbing or overwhelming content.
There is no specialist support provided for children who may have real-life, similar experiences who may either be further traumatised or silenced by the reaction of peers.
Katie, the murdered girl, is framed throughout as a bully as if this is sufficient reason to kill her.
There are several blogs citing Katie deserved to be harmed, that she ‘got what was coming’ and that Jamie was justified in his anger because of this.
It is victim blaming.
When we are already living in a society that sees one woman murdered approximately every three days is this how we need to educate children?
I would suggest the focus should be on how we are teaching boys to become decent and caring men.
What works is education, which is safe, trauma-informed, grounded in empathy, promotes discussion and is delivered by subject matter experts in small, safe groups with access to support services.
If you are a parent and your school is planning to show Adolescence, please ask them what support they have put in place for your child and how any disclosures will be managed.
If you are a teacher and are looking to access safe, proven resources to address these issues contact enquiries@purpleleaf.org.uk.