A New Zealand study shows homophobia and sexism in schools are leading men to avoid entering careers as primary school teachers, and the study's author says attitudes must now change to increase numbers of males entering careers in schools. Many primary school principals believe male primary teachers should be heterosexual, rugby-playing "real men" if they want to be good role models, University of Canterbury principal lecturer and study author Penni Cushman concludes. Her study, to be published in international journal Gender and Education, found one case of two male teachers missing out on jobs due to their "limp" handshakes making them seem "ineffectual and wussy" in their interviews. The findings come amid repeated calls to raise the proportion of male primary school teachers, which fell from 42% in 1956 to just 18% in 2005, reports the NZ Herald. Cushman says a history of sexual abuse accusations against male teachers was also a factor. She believes attitudes have to change for the number of male primary school teachers to rise: "We need to be more accepting of a greater range of males in schools - just like we are accepting of a greater range of females in the schools. "Not all boys or girls are going to relate to a man who's a rugby player, because not all boys play rugby." The survey was sent to 250 randomly selected primary principals nationally, of which 169 responded. The majority replied that more male role models were needed - a view shared by 94% of the male principals who responded and 87% of the female principals. The Universtiy of Canterbury's latest research backs up a 2003 study from Otago University, which found that 95% of New Zealand students and teachers believe that widespread homophobia in schools means LGBT people feel unsafe in classrooms. Principals Federation president Paddy Ford agreed with the new study findings, telling the Herald that more male role models were needed in schools - but not that they had to be heterosexual. "I find that strange. They need to be honest and fair. It doesn't worry me if they play rugby or not." New Zealand Teachers Council director Peter Lind said having a heterosexual male as a teacher was the "absolutely wrong thing to focus on". "The most important thing is a good teacher. Someone who can motivate learning, who enjoys working with young people and has the ability to engage."
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Tuesday, 5th February 2008 - 10:36am