‘Sexist attitude’ in early childhood sector

Male early childhood teachers excluded from nappy changing duties is just one example of a ‘‘sexist attitude’’ in the sector, lobbyists say.

ChildForum and the Men in Early Childhood Network NZ (ECMenz) claim there is an ‘‘unconscious bias’’ against male teachers in the early childhood sector. They make up only 2 per cent of the workforce, giving New Zealand one of the lowest rates in the world.

The organisations are calling for the Government to develop policies and strategies to meet a target of at least 5 per cent male teachers in early childhood education by 2022.

Education Minister Nikki Kaye said the ministry would look at encouraging diversity.

‘‘I think it’s really important to have diversity in the workforce and for children to have good male role models as teachers.’’

EC-Menz president Russell Ballantyne said when he graduated as a kindergarten teacher in 1982, there were only 20 men in the workforce.

By the end of the 1980s it reached its current rate of 2 per cent men.

‘‘Early childhood isn’t diverse, there is underlying unconscious bias.’’

He recently heard of a male early childhood graduate teacher being told he was unable to change nappies or help with toileting children at his centre. It was later amended to a six-month trial for the families to get to know him before his duties were reassessed.

It was a perfect example of sexism, Ballantyne said.

‘‘All centres have strong nappy changing policies. If it’s not safe for a male to change [nappies], then it’s not safe for a female to.’’

Centres needed training on unconscious bias, he said.

ChildForum chief executive Dr Sarah Alexander, who has been highlighting the country’s lack of male early childhood teachers for at least 20 years, said no teacher should be prevented from performing their full role on the basis of gender.