For all the persecution, bullying and inappropriate workplace demeanor handed out to women for no other reason than their gender. For all the glass ceilings and boys clubs, it figures that there would be one sanctuary, one workplace, where women were treated with more respect than men. It just so happens that the place where the sexism tables are turned is in my very line of work.
A crossing guard is forced to walk away from his profession for no other reason than he high-fived children. Of course the council saw that as inappropriate but didn’t want to say what they really felt, and instead used the “safety concern” excuse. We all know that the council was less worried about safety and more worried about a grown man high-fiving children.
Which leads me to the following question: What if it had been a woman crossing guard who high-fived kids? Still a safety concern? I think not.
I feel sorry for the crossing guard and completely understand why he walked away from his job. To stop high-fiving would be giving tacit approval to the subtext of his allegations. And whilst I don’t think male teachers or crossing guards should be high-fiving students, I sympathise with the clear double standards that are in play. The same double standards that sees female teachers often hug students and have them on their lap. The same double standards that gives female teachers lesser sentences for the same heinous crimes as their male counterparts.
But at the end of the day, whether you’re a crossing guard or a teacher, what’s more important than equality is the rights of children. I may be in the only field of work where men get treated worse than women, but that’s OK with me, because those kids deserve the very best of care regardless of who is put out or discriminated against.
Click on the link to read I Would be Happy to Have CCTV Cameras in My Classroom
Click on the link to read Should Classrooms Be Fitted With Surveillance Cameras?
Click on the link to read Schools Putting Spy Cameras in Toilets and Change Rooms
Click on the link to read Two-Year Olds Forced to Have Fingerprints and Mug Shots Taken
Click on the link to read Male Teachers Beware!
Click on the link to read Are Male Teachers Subject to Sexual Discrimination?
Click on the link to read The absence of male teachers in public schools
Tags: Bernie Robertson lollipop man, Bob Slade, Bob Slade lollipop man, Crossing Guard, crossing guard banned from giving high fives, Education, high-fiving school children, lollipop man has quit his post, Male Teachers, Manadon Vale primary school, News, Roger Green, Sexism
Topical Teaching 
October 15, 2013 at 7:55 pm |
In at least one Australian jurisdiction 2 out of 3 promotions are women and 3 out of every 4 new appointments are women. This is not sexism. So what is it?
October 16, 2013 at 2:14 pm |
I believe in a meritocracy John. Have you ever felt discriminated against?
October 18, 2013 at 10:06 pm
Merit, indeed! We are agreed. Difficulties arise over the means used to determine merit. On the job assessment has my vote.