A study in England investigated whether men face hiring discrimination in the educational setting, source: Is the school workforce biased against men?This study was also mentioned here: New research shows men facing barriers in teacher recruitment

"We test for gender discrimination in the School Workforce in England by asking teachers to evaluate fictitious applicants for three hypothetical positions in their school (Teaching Assistant, Classroom Teacher and Headteacher). We find that male applicants are evaluated less favourably than female applicants. The gender difference in evaluations decreases with seniority – for Headteacher roles male and female applicants are evaluated similarly. These findings suggest that minority groups can experience more discrimination for lower-level jobs" (Fullard, 2025).

The study's outcomes suggest that male applicants face additional barriers when applying for jobs in the educational sector. These are highlighted below:

  • "For two equally qualified applicants the female applicant is evaluated more favourably. This could be the difference between an applicant getting shortlisted for a position, or not" (Fullard, 2025).
  • "[G]ender discrimination exists in female-dominated industries [despite] pressures to increase gender diversity" (Fullard, 2025). "[These] differences decrease with seniority, suggesting that gender stereotypes may impact hiring biases more strongly at entry-level positions (Fullard, 2025).
  • "Decision-makers should take this into account when investigating why there are so few men in the school workforce and, designing policies in attempting to achieve the goal of increasing diversity in schools", (Fullard, 2025).
  • "The role teachers play in hiring decisions varies across schools. For roles such as Classroom Teacher or Headteacher, teachers are often consulted during the hiring process, but decisions typically rest with the school’s governors, leadership team, and/or business manager" (Fullard, 2025). "[F]or support roles like Teaching Assistants, teachers often play a more active role both shortlisting and hiring. We argue that teachers’ evaluations do play an important role in shaping the composition of their schools. Additionally, teachers’ perceptions of newly hired colleagues could influence the career progression of these hires by affecting workplace relationships, support, and opportunities for development" (Fullard, 2025).
  • Although gender bias decreases with seniority, the underlying mechanisms remains unclear. At the duration of the study, it was estimated that 7% of Teaching Assistants are male compared to 23% of Classroom Teachers and 32 % of Headteachers. It cannot be determined whether a reduction in bias towards male applicants in more senior positions "is driven by the seniority of the position or its more balanced gender representation" (Fullard, 2025).
  • Although the study findings are robust in terms of identifying hiring discrimination that men face, "the hierarchical nature of these roles and their corresponding gender compositions remain linked" (Fullard, 2025).