ExchangeEveryDay Past Issues

My own first tentative steps as a male early care and education (ECE) professional were on eggshells, for in the early 1980's the McMartin Preschool child sexual abuse trail was front-page-news. Such disproportionate and most often media-driven paranoia is particularly ironic, because these are the same media sources that Dr. Diane Levin charges in her good works with disseminating progressively narrower, ever more violent, and increasingly sexualized gender roles to our youngest children. Girls, many as young as 3-years old, are barraged with images emphasizing unrealistically narrow body ideals, object materialism, and sexualized imagery as symbolic of what it means to be female. The gender role messages marketed to boys center on aggression, power, conflict, and most disturbingly, a direct association between male violence and sexuality.

Though prohibitions against touch are commonly imposed on male ECE professionals from the moment we enter the field, many of our female colleagues find this appalling legacy has been passed on to them. What male EC educators know, and what our female colleagues are now experiencing are the regular institutional reminders in pre-service preparations, in-service trainings, and consultations with superiors emphasizing the scrutiny that all early educators are held to. Unofficial policies, sensationalistic stories, and off-hand reminders from well-meaning administrators, colleagues, and parents endorse the adoption of no-or at best minimal-touch practices purportedly in "your own best interests." All early educators now grapple with a proposition once reserved principally for male professionals: That it only takes a serious misunderstanding to cause a career, reputation, life, and the lives of the teachers' family to be permanently desecrated. When a child naturally seeks physical comfort, teachers often feel they must first weigh appearances. By consciously striving to avoid the appearance of impropriety, an ever-present cloud of uncertainty tarnishes even the most basic human act of nurturing a child. The children feel it, but know it only as rejection.

It is appropriate to rationally and reasonable minimize all dangers to children, and to that end, an initial five year criminal history check and annual criminal background checks are required for all licensed ECE workers in the USA. Thoughful hiring policies, professional development, and environmental design further reduce any threats. To minimize the risks to EC professionals themselves, the field of ECE needs comprehensive safeguards from the spreading malady of no-touch policies, and strategies to help reduce the potential for innocent professionals having to abide the course of an unfounded abuse accusation.

We need prominent and open discussions on the impact of gender-baised stereotypes, no-touch policies, and the consequences of modern electronic media practices to be moved up to the professional, familial, and policy front-burner. Those EC programs with written policies, clear boundaries, and proper training on healthy touch, typical child sexuality development, and child abuse prevention face fewer instances and unfounded accusations of abuse than programs with little or no guidance. With fewer accusations, our profession will be a far more attractive and safer career choice for all caring adults regardless of their gender.

I find it extremely unnerving that as a male I am being discriminated against for the offenses of very few others. It pains me that children are being denied the right of male mentoring because of false pre-conceived notions that are being propagated by a fear driven media.

That said, I am a School bus driver for Head Start/ECEAP and also a grandfather. I find it very important that these children see men as caring, loving people that are willing to help and protect. And if people persist in crucifying men just because we choose to work with children for real altruistic reasons we will lose a very important part our society.

Sincerley,
Eric Selstrom
Loving Grandfather and caring mentor.

This article came out the same week a male ECE staff was arrested in our city, for being in possession and distributing child pornography, so the topic is very close to home right now.

Abuse of children, whether emotional, phsical, or sexual is obviously very regretable. Still, we can't paint either gender with the same brush because one female (mother or teacher) or one male has hurt a child. We must treat humans as individuals, not just representatives of cultural, religious, or gender groups.

Truly, Early Childhood Centres and Schools are very safe places for children. I do believe that less than 1/10th of one percent of abuse happens at the hands of teachers. So if anyione thinks taking men out of the clasrooms is going to be the answer to protecting children we are misled. We would do better to get all Dads, Uncles, and Grandads (and perhaps Mothers, Aunts, and grandmothers as well) out of the lives of children if we followed the evidence, and how rediculous would that be.

My conclusion remains that, that "gender balance is good for children". Let's be as careful to protect children as we can, and keep the bad people out, but we must never base our view of a group based on the bahaviour of one of them.

I agree with your article "Eek it's a male" in some ways, the good men who
are genuine there should definitely be more of them. However it's not society becoming over cautious and panicked but society is becoming sicker, we have more incidences of pedophilia with men and now women.
When a parent can see that police officers, clergy, court judges, scout masters, nannies, soccer coaches, school teachers etc etc being caught for sexual abuse of children how shouldn't they be over protective. And that in some countries their tourism is made up of men going there for the sole purpose of having sex with underage children....society does have a huge problem. And it's not because some parents are being over protective but because these weirdos, sickos do really exist and there is becoming more of them and they are thinking up more creative ways to get closer to our children, that's a fact. And I never use this word accept for terrorists and pedophiles but I hate what they are doing to our society by making us paranoid about who is watching our children, who are getting close to our children in coaching or teaching roles.
I believe there should be a lot more GOOD men in teaching and caring roles, but I don't think you can be angry about societies hesitations but angry at the people who has made society this way.

My other problem is parents who don't check where their child is going during the day as they ride off on their bikes, they haven't met the parents of the child they are going to visit, they allow them to visit parks on their own, walk to the local shops alone, to school etc but are the first to scream how dare a pedophile go after their child. We have to be vigilant.

And we can't forget that sexual abuse happens 80% more often by adults children know not by strangers. Either they are relatives or neighbours or friends. Rarely happens by a random person the child doesn't know. And pedophiles are very clever and will patiently build up the trust of parents and children before they strike, so therefore it is hard for parents not to have some caution and hesitation when males and these days females are developing close relationships with their children either through teaching roles or coaching or as a doctor or scout master or clergy/pastor etc etc.

These are my thoughts,

Peta Paget
Early Childhood Teacher
Long Day Care - NSW Australia

Regardless of gender, teachers need to have a gift for working with young children. It is not appropriate to hire a male teacher because a school wants to have a male on their staff. You must see that person working with children and make sure they have the qualifications, teaching skills and confidence that you would expect any female teacher to possess.