Education is becoming 'feminised' putting men off becoming teachers

19 October 2020, 08:21

'Men are being put off the teaching profession'

EJ Ward

By EJ Ward

Men are being put off becoming teachers as the profession is becoming "feminised" and there is too much emphasis on "political correctness."

Former headteacher Chris McGovern told LBC that men are being put off joining the teaching profession as the job has become "feminised."

The Chairman of the Campaign for Real Education was speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari after a report suggested thousands of male teachers are leaving secondary school classrooms, creating concerns that a lack of role models is contributing to the underperformance of boys.

Mr McGovern said in primary schools there was "one clear issue" which men face and it was "why would men wish to work with young children."

The education expert said many male teachers are "left feeling rather vulnerable" when working with young children, especially with the current levels of concern over paedophilia.

"There is that fear out there," Mr McGovern said, adding in secondary school male teachers could feel that the "agenda is being set more by women and women's issues than men's issues."

The proportion of male teachers in secondary schools in England has fallen steeply over the last decade - and now just over a third of the workforce are men, a report has found.

The decline of male teachers has been fuelled by a significant fall in the proportion of white male teachers in schools, according to an analysis by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) think tank.

Iain Dale examines the number of white working class boys attending university

The former headteacher told LBC there was a perception many men were "left feeling schools these days are places for women" adding it was a "bad reflection on men."

"I feel perhaps schools these days are less concerned about teaching subjects rather than teaching political correctness," the former headteacher told LBC.

Issuing a stark warning that young boys are not doing as well in education as they could be the former headteacher said that "boys desperately need male role models."

"White working-class boys are the ethnic group that's most failing in our country, it's a crisis," Mr McGovern warned.

"Ethnic minorities are generally doing extremely well, white working-class boys are doing extremely badly and they are fodder for political extremists in the future."

Watch the whole insightful exchange in the video at the top of the page.

More Nick Ferrari

See more More Nick Ferrari

Exclusive
The mural on the wall of the Golden Chippy

A Greenwich fish and chip shop that's causing a stink over painting, as owner tells LBC he's 'determined to keep mural up'

Rishi Sunak’s job is under threat from a plot of backbench Tory MPs who want to replace him with Penny Mordaunt before the general election.

Tories 'need to stop messing around and get behind the Prime Minister,' Business Secretary tells LBC

Exclusive
'This is trivia': Kemi Badenoch hits out at continued furore over Tory donor 'racism' row

'This is trivia': Kemi Badenoch hits out at continued furore over Tory donor 'racism' row

Government suspends tariffs on key imports to boost SMEs launching £660 million northern powerhouse fund

Government suspends tariffs on key imports to boost SMEs launching £660 million northern powerhouse fund

'Floating voters' unconvinced by Jeremy Hunt's Budget

LBC's 'Floating Voters' left unconvinced by Jeremy Hunt's Budget

Leila Khaled, who hijacked planes, will appear via video link at a fundraiser hosted by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Andy Street wants police to look at the event

'I'm not comfortable with it': West Mids Mayor to speak to police amid fury over Palestinian hijacker’s fundraiser

Andy Street taking calls from the public on Nick Ferrari at Breakfast

Tory MP's claim that Birmingham has 'no-go areas' was 'ridiculous', West Midlands Mayor tells LBC

Minister quizzed on tweet where he described Trump as 'cancer'

Minister Bim Afolami says tweet in which he referred to Donald Trump as 'a cancer' is appropriate

Lee Anderson

Police 'looking into hate speech complaint against Lee Anderson' after MP said Sadiq Khan was controlled by Islamists

Richard Tice said he turned down two Tories who tried to join the party

Reform UK leader Richard Tice says he rejected two Tory MPs who tried to defect in the last year

Michael Tomlinson repeatedly refused to answer Nick Ferrari's question

Nick Ferrari cuts off minister who refuses to answer his questions nine times over Lee Anderson's 'Islamophobic remarks'

Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt for sacking Lee Anderson

Lee Anderson refuses to apologise for 'Islamist' comments as he doubles down on criticism of Sadiq Khan

Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt for sacking Lee Anderson

PM denies Tories have 'Islamophobic tendencies' as minister says Lee Anderson's comments were 'profoundly wrong'

Dame Esther Rantzen has told LBC why she is campaigning to change the law on assisted dying

‘Dogs get treated better than humans’, Esther Rantzen says, as TV legend demands assisted dying law change

Rishi Sunak (l) puts on a brave face to the Tories by-election defeats on a visit to Harlow. New Kingswood MP Damien Egan (top r) and Wellingborough MP Gem Kitchen (bottom r)

Rishi Sunak begs frustrated Tories 'not to put Starmer in power' after party suffers double by-election disaster

New Labour MPs Damien Egan and Gen Kitchen

'They are not very good results': Tory chairman admits after double by-election drubbings as MPs call for tax cuts