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Children are being
"quarantined" from men by sexist recruitment policies in the early
childhood sector linked to "paedophile hysteria" of the 1990s, an
industry body says. The claims follow revelations 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 male-targeted
recruitment drive to address a severe skills shortage and bring the male-
female teacher ratio into line with other OECD countries. "We have created a society in
which we have quarantined our children from our men. "(Male teachers) feel they
will be treated as suspect until proven innocent." A report released 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. 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. "I think it's just
historically the way it is. It's going to take a lot of time to change."
Mr Butler said he knew male
teachers who refused to change nappies or cuddle children because they feared
abuse allegations, but he continued doing so. 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 lift male teacher numbers. n Fairfax Wellington --------------- CAPTION: MALE IN CHARGE: David Butler is a
supervisor at a Kelburn creche. |
