Tackling hate speech in schools – A systematic review of programme quality from a scientific and school practice perspective

Abstract Hate speech is a global issue. Intentional expressions of group‐related derogation have become more widespread in recent years and they potentially bear negative consequences for individuals, communities and societies. After the internet, the school is a context where children and adolescents perpetrate and/or witness hate speech or become victims of it. However, schools also represent a suitable location to address and prevent hate speech. Collated evidence on the availability, quality and effectiveness of school‐based programmes on hate speech is currently sparse. Thus, this research provides an overview and systematic quality assessment of available school‐based programmes on hate speech that address children and adolescents. The applied quality criteria are novel as they combine perspectives from science and school practice. The perspectives of the school practitioners were collected via qualitative expert interviews with teachers and focus group discussions with students. The quality criteria were extracted using grounded theory methods. Programmes were searched for in scientific databases and by directly approaching programme developing actors (e.g. civic organisations). Two independent reviewers assessed the programmes. Of the 27 programmes identified, 25 originated from Europe. Most programmes lacked a solid theoretical foundation (e.g. being based on a definition of hate speech; providing an impact model) and only one applied summative evaluation. Many programmes revealed positive design features related to a programme's comprehensiveness (e.g. combining prevention and intervention; using a multi‐level approach) and appropriate implementation (e.g. using a high degree of activating and interactive teaching methods). Recommendations will be given for programme implementation in schools and for further programme improvement. Context and implications Rationale for this study: This research addresses the evidence on the availability, quality and effectiveness of school‐based programmes on hate speech for children and adolescents. It is also driven by the purpose that an assessment of programme quality should take quality criteria into account, criteria that are shaped by science as well as school practice. Why the findings matter: The systematic review and quality assessment of 27 school related programmes on hate speech revealed positive design features regarding their comprehensiveness and appropriate implementation. However, most programmes bear areas for improvement regarding their theoretical foundation and summative evaluation. Implications for programme developers, researchers and school educators: Educators (e.g. principals, teachers) gain a systematic overview of the availability and quality of school programmes on hate speech which address children and adolescents, enabling them to make informed decisions on evidence‐based prevention and intervention. Programme developers can use our set of quality criteria and findings to compare, refine and improve existing programmes and to develop new programmes based on best‐practice examples. Future studies could extend this systematic review to regions outside Europe. We recommend a collaborative approach in which researchers and programme developers within and outside academia apply quality criteria in programme development, conduct evaluations and analyse barriers to implementation.