Australia: Male teachers abandon classroom fearing inappropriate label of working with children

Article here. Excerpt:

'The Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) has commissioned a review to examine what influences people to choose teaching as their first career.

The review is being held as the number of male teachers in Queensland state primary schools has fallen to just 16 per cent.

QCT director John Ryan said the review would be a valuable insight for education employers looking to recruit more men.

Queensland Teachers’ Union president Kevin Bates said there was still an unfair view that teaching was women’s work.

“In our community there is a bit of a perception that it is a feminised profession,” he said. “There are elements that attach suspicion to men in the classroom, which are not justified.’’

Queensland Association of State School Principals president Michael Fay said remuneration was often a factor too.'