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Teka Commission of Legal Sciences Polish Academy of Sciences Branch in Lublin

Vol. 19 No. 1 (2026)

Articles

Beyond Reaction: Teacher Competence Profiles and Institutional Frameworks in the Prevention of Hate Speech in Schools

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32084/tkp.10212  [Google Scholar]
Published: 2026-06-30

Abstract

The study examines the relationship between teachers’ competences in supporting students exposed to hate speech and the perception of safety within the school environment. It seeks to identify variations in teachers’ competence profiles and to determine how these profiles are associated with the prevalence of hate speech incidents and students’ subjective sense of security. The empirical basis of the study is a large-scale survey conducted among primary and secondary school teachers in Poland (N = 2,975). The research employed comparative statistical analyses, including Mann–Whitney U tests, chi-square tests of independence (χ²), and latent profile analysis (LPA). These methods enabled the identification of competence-related clusters and the assessment of their associations with the occurrence of hate speech and institutional responses within schools. The results indicate that teachers with higher socio-educational competences significantly more often participate in specialized training on recognizing and counteracting hate speech, apply formal intervention procedures, and engage in inter-institutional cooperation. In contrast, deficits in competences are associated with lower participation in preventive training, limited familiarity with intervention protocols, and a greater likelihood of non-reporting of hate incidents. LPA revealed five distinct competence profiles, ranging from Reactive and Unprepared to Proactive and Competent, the latter being associated with the lowest prevalence of hate speech and the highest levels of student-perceived safety. The study underscores the need for differentiated teacher training programs tailored to varying competence levels, the standardization of intervention procedures across schools, and the promotion of a reporting culture to reduce the incidence of hate speech. This study contributes to the literature by empirically linking teachers’ competence profiles with both the prevalence of hate speech and students’ perceived safety. It extends the understanding of how teacher competences function as a protective factor in educational environments and offers evidence-based recommendations for policy and practice.

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