High risk men: male teachers and sexuality in early years contexts

Abstract

This article presents research undertaken with female teachers which explores their perceptions and experiences of male teachers at Key Stage One. In addition it considers the experiences of male trainees and notes the dominant public discourse calling for more men in primary teaching. It explores contrary discourses in relation to men as ‘high risk’ with particular regard to the physicality of male teachers in school environments. Given that men are perceived to be ‘high risk’, the article considers how female teachers receive them into the feminised school space and how men adapt. Males within the primary school are covertly policed, but given no precautionary advice, discussion only taking place as a reaction to negative incidents. The article concludes that the discursive triplet ‘male teachers, sexuality and children’ remains taboo and suggests that an open climate be established whereby policies about child protection and professional responsibilities are routinely formulated and shared.

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