Shortage of Male Teachers

The article “Remark on ‘Effeminate’ Males Angers Las Virgenes Teachers” (Times Valley Edition, Nov. 21) interested me as an educator, a parent and an advocate of women’s rights.

Las Virgenes Unified School District Supt. Marley is correct in his obvious assessment of the lack of male role models in elementary schools, although his homophobia is apparent in his dismissal of effeminate male teachers as ineffective in filling this role.

The real problem is not how masculine male teachers are, but the fact that so few men aspire to this position. The reason for this situation is in part because of homophobic stereotypes in our society, but as a five-year veteran of secondary education I think that the real reason is simply money.

Effective teaching requires an enormous amount of intelligence, creativity and stamina, all attributes that engender success in other professional fields that are far more lucrative. Teachers are hourly workers. It increases our income to increase our working hours and not have long vacation periods without pay.

Many men select secondary school teaching because there are opportunities for additional hours. Primary education does not include summer school or extra-curricular activities such as sports, music programs, academic decathlon and tutoring programs, including SAT preparation classes. All of these additional hours increase a paycheck that is notoriously low.

Why do so many more women than men choose elementary education? Women have lower salary expectations because they expect that when they raise a family they will have another income from their partner, and many women simply cannot work the additional hours beyond the school day. Most extracurricular hours and vacation positions are sought by male teachers and female teachers who are not currently raising a family.

The answer by Supt. Marley, among others, for more men in elementary education is quite simple. Teaching must be adequately compensated to make it a viable career choice for everyone, not just those who can afford to pursue it as a “calling.”

Taxpaying voters have for some time been reluctant to pay for public schools, with the constant complaint that the schools are terrible and getting worse. The truth is they are, but not paying for them makes as much sense as not getting medical attention when you feel bad because the doctor charges too much. You get what you pay for.

TERESA M. NIELD

West Hills