More male teachers - doesn't that mean fewer females?

[mids2019]

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/apr/03/bridget-phillipson-education-secretary-more-male-teachers-adolescence

I don't think this was a considered statement as in world where women have had to fight hard for representation in professions it is is grange for a cabinet Secretary to advocate for more men in a professiion. We certainly wouldn't see the health Secretary advocate for male doctors in a profession historically dominated by men at least until the last few decades.

I don't think teachers are there primarily to be role models but educators. The sex of the teacher should make no difference only their overall ability to the job. To somehow suggest a male has more authority or respect from male pupils surely is just veiled sexism?

I don't personally agree......

Surely a load of female teachers could identify as men and solve the crisis at a stroke ?

And I'd be curious as to how they can be so confident in their data too. I refuse to believe that teaching is the only profession that isn't faffing around with "gender" and unable to tell who is really a man or a woman.

I don't know the answer. But why don't you want to wait until men are no longer responsible for 98% of sexual assault before we decide we need more of them in positions of responsibility over children and vulnerable people?

Why is the onus not on men to change first before we make these changes, rather than women to be comfortable with them?

Also where do you think these attitudes come from? And why?

That's an interesting point. The Green party and probably much of Labour would be fine with that

Boys are exposed to good role models every day. The problem is that society refuses to call out the bad role models, it lets men off, excuses their behaviour, doesn’t value women. A few male teachers won’t change this, the implication being the men will arrive and it’ll all be ok! Crap!

In schools, what might help is ensuring leadership teams set boundaries and clear rules for behaviour. People stop talking about more boxing and sports clubs as that’s what boys need (some do but not all) and start talking about and dismantling gender stereotypes.

It’s tinkering and jumping on a band wagon. Labour are an absolute joke.

We should be focussing on equal representation in ALL jobs to stop there being a perception of men and women’s work. My role is in a male dominated industry, but can be done equally well by men and women. But my firm hiring a senior woman has had an immeasurable impact on my career, ambition and loyalty to the company.

I can’t believe the same isn’t true in teaching (if not more so, as the younger you are the harder it is to find role models in people who aren’t like you). This isn’t about less women, it’s about more men. The same as other IDE initiatives aren’t about fewer white men, they’re about the benefits of diversity and we should aspire for this in all scenarios - even when the unrepresented group is white men.

Safeguarding procedures in schools are more robust now than they've ever been. Children are at less risk from teachers now than they've ever been.

The whole culture in school has changed even in the 20 years I've been teaching. There are very clear and strict expectations with regards to pupil interactions. Good teachers watch themselves more closely in order that dubious characters stand out more easily. Teachers can and do raise concerns about colleagues in a way that I didn't really see 20 years ago.

If there was any talk of safeguarding shortcuts in order to rush unsuitable male teachers into classrooms, then I would agree that you have a valid concern.

ETA sorry - I think I quoted the wrong person.

No male teachers I’ve met is misogynistic ! They just are not that type of men. Being afraid of men in primary schools is just demonising men. As in most walks of life, balance is good. Certainly for some boys, seeing a man in the classroom would add a dimension they are missing in life.

Misogynistic men are highly unlikely to want to be primary teachers. And also less likely to want to be teachers, full stop.

I'm not ignoring anyone. I'm simply saying that men are going to be more wary of working in schools and nurseries because they don't want to feel constantly under suspicion.

It was me, you meant to quote.

Can you answer my question I asked SaraClara, would you honestly not expect a change in CSA statistics if we had a 50/50 sex divide among teachers? Absolutely none? Genuinely.

And if you can't say that, how many extra incidents of sexual assault on girls, most likely would you think was acceptable in order to give boys a male role model?

Also, would it be fair to expect the government to consider the extra safe guarding risks in increasing male staff? And to expect genuine risk assessments to be done?

They’re also showing they know nothing about how modern primary schools work, what with CCTV and strict rules about 1-1 with pupils that apply to both female and male teachers.

If it’s that easy to commit CSA in schools, why aren’t there arrests and prosecutions to back that up? The media would have a field day.

I appreciate that it's awkward for men, good men. I don't think that's worse than the feeling girls and women feel after sexual abuse.

But again, why can't we wait until men are no longer responsible for 98% of SA before we put them in these positions? This seems fair to everyone.

Except for my teacher in year 1 and one at University all my favourite teachers have been men. It has done my daughter good now she has one male teacher, the style is very different and I think she wasn´t quite sure at the beginning but now is loving it. It should be more balanced, yes. Especially primary years.

No, of course not, I think all teachers should be paid more to make it an attractive profession. But rightly or wrongly men tend to prioritise their earning capacity more than women, and as the earnings power of a teacher has dwindled over the years it will be a less attractive career for men.

They absolutely shouldn't. I quit as well - I was tired of fighting that fight for years.

And if you can't say that, how many extra incidents of sexual assault on girls, most likely would you think was acceptable in order to give boys a male role model?
Also, would it be fair to expect the government to consider the extra safe guarding risks in increasing male staff? And to expect genuine risk assessments to be done?

What aspect of safeguarding do you think is missing from schools?

I work in an area of FE that has a lot of males teachers/tutors. I personally think females handle young men better as they open up about their lives and problems to females as they get understanding and empathy. The males don't appear to be interested, and still have the "get on with it " attitude.

I think the teaching profession could do with more male teachers. Men are much better at setting boundaries and maintaining a good work/life balance. All the female teachers I know over work and it can lead to everyone feeling like they have to compete.

My DD saw how hard I worked and said no to becoming a teacher. She is mid-20s and earning 4 times more than my highest teacher salary. It isn’t only men who like to be paid more.

The women teachers need to stop doing this, pronto.

My son goes to an semh school and the vast majority of the TAs are men, obviously a little different as a lot of the focus is on the relationships with kids and helping them manage their emotions etc but I can definitely see how it is really useful for these young boys to have positive male role models you'd be suprised how many kids don't have that elsewhere.

My son has decided to pursue a career in teaching. During an interview at one of the universities he applied to, he mentioned the importance of having more male role models in schools, but they completely dismissed his point and shut him down saying they weren’t going to discuss that! In contrast, his head of sixth form had previously had this very discussion with my son when he found out he was going into teaching, agreeing that schools need more male role models and that he’d do very well in the profession. Interestingly, two of the universities he applied to offer discounts to male students studying the education/QTS degree.

At my fairly large primary school, in the 1980s, virtually every member of staff, teachers included, was female. The only males were the headmaster, the janitor and the church minister, who spoke at assembly from time to time. Looking back, I do think a better balance of men and women would have been preferable.

I totally agree. The last school I worked in did me in. The head of dept was working in school until 8pm in the evenings and she had kids! The all female staff in that dept seemed to all be competing for how many after school sessions they could do and who had decorated ( out of their own pocket) their classroom the nicest. Ludicrous

I actually think it is a good idea to constantly assess the robustness of safeguarding and improve it.

My understanding is that young boys are sexally assaulted as often as young girls because it's about vulnerability and opportunity as much as gender.

I don't know about post puberty.

I also think the main risk for girls is thier male peer group so a reduction in risk here might still be greater than an increase in risk elsewhere. But that is going to be very hard to establish that more male teachers reduced child on child abuse.