Andrew Tate is slyly slithering into impressionable teen and tween minds with his toxic misogyny and bizarre conspiracy theories, according to exasperated educators and parents.
One teacher at a high school in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, told The Post about a sophomore who recently echoed Tate’s chauvinistic views — claiming men need to act as an “alpha figure” at all times and unilaterally “take care of women.”
“But I feel like this student didn’t totally understand that’s not really what Andrew Tate is preaching,” the math teacher told The Post. “It’s not about protecting women — it’s about controlling them.”
The former kickboxing champion once known as “King Cobra,” 36, has reinvented himself as a macho self-help guru for men looking to emulate his flashy lifestyle. His polarizing views include slamming women as “intrinsically lazy” and insisting victims share responsibility if they’re sexually assaulted.
Tate, his brother Tristan, 34, and two women were arrested in Romania on Dec. 29 on allegations of rape, human trafficking and participating in a criminal ring that exploited women to work as sex-cam girls.
The Tate brothers, who will remain detained until Feb. 27, appeared in a Bucharest courtroom Wednesday and Thursday as prosecutors execute forensic searches of their phones and laptops.
“They know we have done nothing wrong,” Tate told reporters while being escorted by police. “This file is completely empty. Of course it’s unjust; there is no justice in Romania, unfortunately.”
His over-the-top “alpha male” energy crept into a recent drama club meeting at a Brooklyn high school, where one junior suggested the jailed influencer during a popular game identifying celebrities, the Brooklyn teacher told The Post.
“I was like, ‘No, we’re not going to have that as an option,’” she said. “But one of the boys in the class was like, ‘Oh, why not? That guy’s the GOAT.’”
Teens, tweens or anyone with access to a smartphone can easily see Tate’s latest takes on social media, where he’s amassed 4.8 million followers on Twitter. The divisive influencer was banned by TikTok, YouTube and Meta in August, but proxy accounts and rogue videos continue to thrive on other platforms.
It’s enough to have some parents concerned, too.
One Manhattan father said he recently debunked the “nature of Tate’s hustle” during a sit-down with his 16-year-old son.
“It preys on the insecurities of young men and teenage boys,” the married 50-year-old father of two told The Post. “He plays into that with big watches and fast cars, and it’s all designed to separate you from your money and your time.”
One parent of a middle-schooler showed The Post a group chat that his daughter recently took part in with friends. In it, an eighth-grader at a Rego Park, Queens school, commented on his reasons for respecting Tate: “I think he’s a good role model for how to be a man or something. And that he doesn’t sugar coat things and is straight forward [sic].”
Tate’s Twitter account posted a video early Wednesday to “young men” — imploring his target audience to “always act” as if they’re being watched by people they love and respect.
“I feel like you need to have a sense of duty to people who existed before you or who have given up their lives so you exist,” Tate said in the 62-second clip. “And you need to try very hard to make sure your last name means something important.”
The Manhattan father compared Tate to modern incarnation of “The Rainmaker,” the 1956 movie about a Depression-era conman who promised precipitation for $100.
“He said, ‘You guys don’t need rain, you need validation.’ And you know, [Tate] comes to you and paints this picture of himself that’s flashy, that’s exciting,” the dad said. “And it’s all sales, it’s all marketing.”
Tate hawks his keys to success as a way to get rich and “escape the matrix” for $49.99 per month.
Another teacher at a public high school in Manhattan told The Post that it’s clear Tate’s extreme ethos has resonated with some students.
“I would say he has definitely reached young minds,” the 26-year-old teacher said, citing discussions with fellow educators and rampant cellphone usage in schools.
“All of the students – they’re engrossed in social media all day,” she said. “They’re all on TikTok, they’re all on Instagram.”
A YouTube search Wednesday revealed countless videos showcasing the contentious life coach, including some extolling the virtues of his so-called Hustler’s University.
YouTube channels associated to Tate were terminated last summer for multiple terms of service violations, including the platform’s hate-speech policy. Any user that uploads Tate’s content will also be tossed moving forward, company officials told The Post.
“Content that is reuploaded from these channels violates our policies and will be removed,” YouTube spokesperson Jack Malon said.
Tate, who has complained about his cockroach-infested jail cell, continues to enjoy plenty of support online. A petition calling to “Free The Tates From Unjust Imprisonment” had garnered more than 53,000 signatures as of Thursday.
“As a woman, I support the Tate brothers,” one reply read. “They’ve showed me that real men do exist AND MORE TO COME THANKS TO THEM!!”
The idolatry of Tate, however, is frightening to others, including educators.
“It definitely scares me,” the Brooklyn teacher said of Tate’s influence. “I do try to navigate these conversations, not to impose my values onto my students, but just kind of challenge where they’re coming from, specifically when it comes to feminism and women’s issues. But it’s definitely scary.”