In an incredibly pointed and honest comment, reader Eric succinctly sums up the difficulties of being a male primary teacher.
As long as society remains in a state of collective hysteria regarding children, more and more adults (especially men) will rightly fear situations where they are in close proximity to children other than their own. Personally, I go out of my way to avoid certain parks, playgrounds and other areas where children congregate, because an unaccompanied adult male seen walking near such areas will arouse suspicion. I don’t mind this situation; I’d much rather be far away and unseen than fall prey to the lynch mob.
Any efforts to “recruit” more men into teaching will only ensnare some naive, unwary men into situations that could land them in prison in the blink of an eye, their lives ruined forever. Men, you have been warned!
These sentiments are almost never expressed but is not a minority view. Eric is clearly a responsible and ethical person who is all too aware of the constant news reports about sick, deranged and evil male teachers. Eric and the average parent have every right to feel this way. The safety and security of children is much more important than the welfare of the male teaching fraternity.
The warning expressed above may not be verbalised very often but it is not lost on men who fleetingly consider teaching before thinking better of it.
Personally, I enjoy my job immensely, pride myself on my professional approach and can cope with the fact that male and female teachers are judged differently in the eyes of some parents.
But for those that desperately want more males in the system – don’t expect an influx too soon.
Tags: Education, life, Male Teachers, Parenting, Teachers
Topical Teaching 
August 4, 2011 at 3:57 am |
At the senior high level the possibilities of being accused increase greatly. In 33 years I personally knew six teachers at the schools in which I taught who were guilty of sexual misconduct and that does not include perhaps two more dozen men and a few women who were involved in such crimes at other sites. Because of them it makes charges against innocent people more believable and many people cannot recover emotionally and professionally and financially. It’s in the newspaper. It’s on your employment record. Your family, friends and neighbors suffer with you. You have to pay lawyers because the union lawyers do not defend for criminal charges. You never put yourself in a position where you are alone with a kid, never gives rides, and any overtures by a student should be reported immediately. Another problem is for 17, 18 and 19 year old boys having sex with girls in the 14, 15, 16 age range. The sex is almost always consensual but the boys face statutory rape charges and conviction and listed as a sex offender for the rest of their lives. These fellows don’t understand you cannot touch a 15 year old girl even if considered a peer which after all she is.