Gijs Korenblik, a teacher in Warnsveld, the Netherlands, shows a scene from Adolescence in class on May 7.
PHOTO: ILVY NJIOKIKTJIEN/NYTIMES

Why this small Dutch town is teaching Adolescence in school

· The Straits Times
  • A Dutch teacher uses the Netflix series Adolescence to teach high school students about online misogyny, bullying and masculinity to encourage open discussions and challenge harmful stereotypes.
  • The "manosphere", an online network promoting misogynistic views, influences many boys.
  • Experts debate the use of Adolescence as a teaching tool, with some warning it may alienate boys, while others praise its role in raising awareness and promoting thoughtful conversation.

WARNSVELD, the Netherlands – “What makes a man a man?”

Gijs Korenblik, a social studies teacher in Warnsveld, a small town in the eastern Netherlands, posed the question one day to his high school students. “It’s a difficult question, even for adults,” the teacher conceded.