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Grandfather figure: Elyse Davey,
2, with David Butler, supervisor at Kea House creche. He is the only male
employee there. An industry body said children are being 'quarantined' from
men.
Children are being
"quarantined" from men by sexist recruitment policies in the early
childhood sector, an industry body says. The policies are linked to
"paedophile hysteria" of the 1990s, it believes. The claims follow revelations that
men account for less than 1 per cent of New Zealand's preschool teachers – a
figure tipped to drop further in a new report. Some say they are too scared to
cuddle a child or change a nappy. Early Childhood Council chief
executive Sue Thorne said children were missing crucial contact with male
role models because men felt unwelcome in the profession. The problem was linked to the
"paedophile hysteria" that followed Christchurch's Civic Creche
abuse scandal involving Peter Ellis in the 1990s. It was now too dangerous for male
teachers to cuddle a distressed child or change a nappy because of the
culture – and some parents refused to send children to centres that employed
men. Mrs Thorne called on the
Government, teacher unions and education providers to launch a recruitment
drive aimed at men to tackle a severe skills shortage and bring the
male-female teacher ratio into line with other countries in the Organisation
for Economic Cooperation and Development. "We have created a society in
which we have quarantined our children from our men. (Male teachers) feel
they will be treated as suspect till proven innocent." A report issued yesterday by the
Childforum research network says sexism is rife in the early childcare
sector. Of its 13,741 employees last year,
just 132 were men, researcher Sarah Farquhar said. "The child abuse argument has
proven to be a convenient excuse to keep men out of an occupation that has
been a site for feminist activism since the 1970s." There was no evidence that male
teachers were more likely to abuse children, she said. David Butler has been an early
childhood teacher for more than 30 years. He is now a supervisor at Kelburn's
Kea House creche – and is its only male employee. He felt discriminated against
trying to find work in the 1990s but was now trusted by parents and
colleagues, he said. Mr Butler said he knew male
teachers who refused to change nappies or cuddle children but he continued
doing so. "I'm 56 and a grandfather. If
you've got policies to protect you and your practices are good, you're not at
risk." Education Minister Steve Maharey
said professional qualifications and better wages had made the sector more
attractive to men. He planned a recruitment drive to
try to get more male teachers. |
