Sexism in primary schools

[Andyrichards]

Thoughts?
When leading a school, I drafted a letter which included a request for consent for staff to reapply sun screen to those children unable to do so without support.
Letter came back from executive head insisting inclusion of 'where nececessary, cream will only be applied by female members of staff'

Could you have emailed a reply asking for the rationale behind that?

I was gobsmacked- how can it be defended?
This is precisely what I mean.

Well, the subtext is that, despite all the gazillions of checks, ALL men are potentially perverts, while women are godly, hence more trustworthy.

I can understand your confusion, but sadly, there are many people who think otherwise. You can tell by the thread about male nursery teacher which comes up on MN regularly. Sad, but true. You need to educate people first.

Is the executive head male or female? It might not be sexism but reluctance to get his hands dirty.

Ask for rationale. I find the school I work in treats male and female support staff very differently. Male TAs are never asked to deal with midday duties when short staffed for instance.

I agree this is nonsense.
Our primary is staffed solely by women but our experience (of children of both genders) is they have different expectations of their behaviour. Our children are very similar but if anything the boy is a bit more boisterous and the girl more serious. At parents evening they wax lyrical about our son and how fantastic he is with the other children but for DC say she is overly competitive and she once (!) Pushed a boy she didn't want to partner with in PE. What fake news as Donald Trump would say.
I feel they are letting both our sons and daughters down with this stereotyping.

This is absolutely shocking.
The executive heads gender or sexuality is irrelevant.
Really shocked. The handling of this indefensible, as are any questions regarding the situation, context etc.
Shocking

norrestformrz
Exec head. Female, lesbian. But not relevant to my issue, rather your response.
You're comment 'doesn't want to get HIS hands dirty'
shocking.

It’s a very sensible rule, sadly. You only have to read a few threads to realise many modern parents equate man with paedophile. It’s assumably to protect male staff from unfounded allegations and not put them in a difficult situation. Imagine if little red headed Susie was wearing shorts and needed cream on the back of her legs. I can see the accusations now.

I've had that response from lots of male colleagues when it comes to cleaning up children and applying cream. Sorry not everything has to do with sexism.

So what does that mean for the role of a male in a primary setting? dumbed down? have to cater to gender stereotypes? have to cater for wider publics view of sexual abuse as being a male preserve?
Males should retreat from a role that is ostensibly 'female'?
unfortunately, this thread has only underlined my suspicions.

Personally totally offended by it.
And its served to back up an argument.

I've many more examples- but this is, evidentially not the forum.
I couldn't deal with any more 'I understand but'
'it's wrong, but you can understand...' rubbish.

Well children need to apply their own cream then. Staff can supervise the amount they apply but no hands on application. One rule.

you are unbelievable. shocking

I'm shocked your first reaction was to accuse the executive head of sexism

can you imagine anything worse than it being implied that you are, or have a predisposition to be a paedophile? Your generalisations regarding males are ridiculous. God help a male practitioner who works with you. You've already made your mind up.

Oh and the difference between how girls and boys are treated at ds school appalls me at times. Girls who speak up in class are “confident” but the boys are “cocky”. When girls report something to the teacher they are being “helpful and responsible” but the boys are “whining and telling tales”.
The negativity towards boys and the labels they are given is bloody depressing. Yep plenty of sexism in schools I’m afraid.

Why are you suggesting your staff should spend time applying sun lotion? Children should learn to apply their own with supervision.

so why were males identified as an issue. Please explain?

I think most schools have the rule that children apply their own sun cream or parents use an all day product (with certain exceptions).

Perhaps your executive head knows your staff and parents well

all of this can only underline the gender stereotyping that children have in their class rooms. Girls are not 'serious and studious', boys are not in need of different treatment on the basis of their gender.
It's absolute rubbish, and completely immoral.

We'll be giving boys balls and guns to play with then girls dolls. Women as Early Years and Key Stage 1 teachers. Women as pastoral support. Men as heads, discipliners, KS3 and 4 teachers, scientists and mathematicians.
SHOCKING

Scabetty - we had two EY children who physically could NOT apply cream for themselves

Your exec head was wrong. Schools I have worked in have never said only females will apply cream. They suggest applying before school and supervised top up by class staff before breaks. If class teacher is male then there is no alternative female wheeled out.

Norestformrz;

'Perhaps your executive head knows your staff and parents well'

discuss.

I have worked with male ks1 teachers and male ta/nursery nurse in EYs. No difference to duties. As nursery lead I expected them to deal with toilet accidents.