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Readers Agree: Male Role Models Needed for Young Boys
Reader comments about a previous article
underscore the need for more adult male role models in
early childhood educational settings and libraries. Other career areas
are less open to men, too, readers comment, such as nursing and service
in government agencies. Excerpts from your letters follow:
Dear Beth:
Hooray for bringing this important perspective to the fore. It is so
true. The only other male presence in an elementary school, other than
the principal, is likely to be the custodian. Principal and custodian
-- are those the only choices for boys? The case might also be made for
public libraries, which are too frequently women's clubs. No wonder
Johnny doesn't want to take out books to read.
***
I don't think hiring more female than male elementary teachers is a
result of conscious preferences by personnel directors or principals.
There are simply very few male resumes collected for elementary school
teachers. I remember that the principals who hired me were practically
frothing at the mouth at the prospect of having a 6'5" athletic male
candidate to teach third and fourth grades.
The need for teachers of any gender is strong, I don't think gender
preference plays much of a role. Male teachers tend to gravitate to
middle and high school, while elementary tends to be dominated by
females. Part of this reflects traditional cultural differences between
genders that are still playing out. But I believe this is starting to
change. The desire is there to have more male teachers at the
elementary level. When more male resumes begin to pass in front of
elementary school principals, more males will get hired.
Its funny, though, whenever I talk to female elementary teachers or
mothers, they always treat me like a I'm a saint for putting up with
middle school kids. Somebody, somewhere started this idea that teaching
6th, 7th and 8th grades is the most challenging thing in the world. As a result,
unless you are an intimidating male, you will have a difficult time
handling a classroom full of middle-schoolers. This is garbage. From
my perspective, discipline in a 3rd or 4thh grade classroom is much more challenging
than middle school. It's even harder in 1st and 2nd - a bunch of mini-maniacs!
Many people think that size and a booming voice equals intimidation and
respect from students. In reality the total opposite is true. Ask
anyone who has attended a hardcore catholic school. The most
intimidating presence in the whole world is a soft-spoken,
drill-sergeant nun who stands at 4'11".
Take a look at this great article I found on this subject:
***
Here, here! I second all your opinions regarding the need for more male
elementary, especially lower primary male teachers. I am a female
elementary teacher working in a world with few men, except in
administrative roles. Slowly that is changing too, more females needed
in administrative posts. And, yes, reading materials are definitely swayed
more towards females, unless the female/male teachers change it within
their own classroom walls. Boys and girls do learn differently.
***
I agree that there is blatant discrimination--and anti-male bias--by
school administrators. It is a good old girl network controlling
female-only professions to which most males need not apply. However, in
defense of gender discriminators in the education establishment, they
should not be singled out. Look at offices--private and public. How
many male secretaries or paralegals do you see? Do you ever wonder why
all those male military administrative clerks cannot get jobs in
governmental offices after leaving the military? What about banks,
social work agencies, child protection agencies, mental health,
educational institutions, the nursing profession (some paying $54 per
hour) and a host of other professions?
As employers, at the behest of the government, continue invidious
discrimination in the creation of other female-dominated professions in
jobs heretofore traditionally performed by males, males can only expect
greater denials of equal treatment under color of law and
continued violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Perhaps when
males are completely pushed into engineering (or other mathmatics
intensive professions) and take their skills to other nations where
vitally needed and appreciated, the government will acknowledge that the
requirements of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
to the United States Constitution, the Due Process Clause of the Fifth
Amendment to the United States Constitution, equal protection provisions
in state constitutions, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and state
anti-discrimination and human rights acts pertain to male job applicants.
No, I am being unduly optimistic. After all, any male is privileged no
matter how poor or disadvantaged his background, right? Stereotyping
and prejudgment of them as a class and individually is perfectly proper
as "benign discrimination." We are all equal; some of us, however, are
more equal than others. There are many jobs--never mind history--that
are only appropriate for female employees. So, limitations arising from
gender stereotypes are bona fide occupational qualifications, are they
not? Title VII, like the ADA and other human rights statutes, was not
intended to prevent employers from making employment decisions on the
basis of stereotypes, were they? Besides, girls are made of sugar and
spice and everything nice, whereas males -- everywhere and at all ages
-- are just dogs. It is therefore permissible to discriminate against
males in making employment decisions. Moreover, should an employer
mistakenly allow a male to invade the preserves of females, it is
perfectly appropriate for females to form alliances to create a hostile
work environment to force him to resign, is it not?
Have you become indignant at the gender stereotype that a male is
necessarily better at mathematics than a female? If so, I made my point!
Employment discrimination on the basis of gender stereotyping is unfair
and illegal. Hypocrisy and a double standard stink as well.
***
We're not going to see men clamoring to teach elementary school until the
whole concept of "women's work" goes away. Teaching, nursing and secretarial
positions were, until relatively recently, some of the few professions available to women.
And so they pay less than positions which are more male dominated. Until there is
pay equity and respect, men won't enter these professions, there will be few role models for boys
in these professions, and the cycle will continue unbroken. And this is just as true for women in
traditionally "male" jobs, such as politics, technology and upper management.
***
I appreciate your vantage point about reverse gender bias. Gender bias
is prejudice - reverse or not.
And since men are 50% of the population and less represented now in
teaching than women were in my field of medicine 25 years ago (then less than 10%
residents, now more than 45%) - we must be agreed that the teaching field
needs to be held accountable for sex discrimination and radical reform
is needed. Your writer certainly dares to express this view.
The writer is correct, but not only do kids (those from "single" parent
or other homes) need to see men valued on the teaching team and included
with respect - but kids also need a "male" slant, which can come into play
in the various discussions, extracurriculars and teachable moments.
****
Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.
Previous columns are available.
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