Quiz shows 'encourage children to bully', say teachers

Published on Tuesday 25 March 2008 21:48

TV QUIZ shows such as Never Mind The Buzzcocks are a bad influence on children and fuel bullying at school, teachers have warned.

Steve Sinnott, the general secretary of England's National Union of Teachers (NUT), said he was shocked by some of the "cruel" insults celebrities dish out to each other on the show.

He warned that children copy the abusive behaviour they see on Buzzcocks and They Think It's All Over and use "grossly offensive and sexist" language in the playground.

Speaking at the NUT annual conference in Manchester, Mr Sinnott said: "We've drawn attention to the appalling language of some young people which is often directed at each other and their teachers.

"This language is too often grossly offensive and sexist."

Mr Sinnott blamed television shows for allowing bad language to be broadcast and encouraging pupils to bully each other over their size.

"Too often such cruel behaviour can be seen on television programmes like Never Mind The Buzzcocks," he said.

"When I watch that programme, I am quite shocked at the personal nature of some of the attacks by celebrities on other celebrities.

"We are promoting a type of speaking to each other that diminishes other people.

"I think it's being picked up by other youngsters who are developing it and are, I think, exceeding norms of decency," he added.