As a male going to school to become a K-8 teacher, this is what I deal with. (xpost from r/pics)

eclipse20 · 2011-01-24T05:51:25+00:00

We had a gay elementary school teacher at my school. No one really complained initially, despite the fact I live in the South, because he was an amazing teacher. He was mainly responsible for the kids with learning and emotional disabilities. I think later on he did get sort of forced out though, or at least quit. He ended up hanging himself in his New York apartment.

man_or_astroman · 2011-01-24T03:48:53+00:00

I lasted 3 years and never even thought for a second of going back. That job stressed me out 1000 times more than I thought possible.

DiscoRage · 2011-01-24T02:56:13+00:00

I once mentioned that if I ever had kids, I'd prefer to have daughters. Some idiot chimed in and asked, "why? So you can molest them?"

banannagrams · 2011-01-24T05:20:06+00:00

The good news? You will actually get a teaching job, because male kindergarten teachers are in high demand.

wingnut21 · 2011-01-24T07:28:05+00:00

I am right here with you, man.. I am in University studying to become an elementary teacher and everyone seems to think that it's really funny to call me a child molester.. I usually just laugh it off but it really does get old because joking or not, they are questioning your character.

MinimumDOF · 2011-01-24T03:50:16+00:00

Be a K9 teacher,....dogs are so much more forgiving,..and they can't talk back.

bkelly1984 · 2011-01-24T05:04:27+00:00

Kudos to you. We need more male teachers, especially good ones.

RainyInferno · 2011-01-24T03:36:01+00:00

Why doesn't "Are you gay?" have a slice of the pie?

banannagrams · 2011-01-24T12:30:18+00:00

Don't worry about it too much. They are real life trolls and they don't understand your calling. Your colleagues, however, do. Thank you for being a positive male role model. Our children need you. Our profession needs you.

Fortunately/unfortunately you will learn to do things like: always leave your door open with fewer than 5 kids present, and: never be alone with a single child ever, ever, ever... and you will be ok. People will still make stupid comments but soon you will realize that they are just that: stupid. And your kids will love you and that will be all that matters.

I am a young female teacher and I am still paranoid even though the stereotype is that male teachers are the pedophiles. At a certain point though, you have to realize that as much as you can train yourself to never, ever touch a child, one day you will have one fall apart in front of you, and in that moment you will do the only right thing and give that kid a hug. Because in that moment, the only thing that matters is that you know and love that child and are empowered to heal, and you'll know that even if they fire you for it you'll have done the right thing. There is a good book of short stories which I believe touches on this called The First Year Of* Teaching or something like that.

It's sad that we live in such a suspicious society that we can't trust people to be good anymore, and that such a small few have ruined things for the rest of us.

Keorode · 2011-01-24T04:36:21+00:00

That's just so incredibly sad.

Denver_Pole · 2011-01-24T03:15:22+00:00

you need to learn to spell pedophile before you even try to touch... i mean teach any kids

dunskwerk · 2011-01-24T07:02:00+00:00

I honestly never faced this issue when I was in education. I have a couple male friends who are still in the schools, they have told me they never had any problems either. It sucks to see that this is such an issue for you all -- in my locality it doesn't seem to be much of a problem.

Although, admittedly, we do have our own problems here, for example, if a gay man wants to be a teacher, he's instantly and irrefutably a pedophile.

incompatible · 2011-01-24T07:05:36+00:00

I was going to school to teach, hopefully in a junior high science capacity. I did a co-op program through my school that landed me in the computer lab for two years. After attempted flirtations from countless tweens (not trying to sound like a stud, they flirt with any older person that is not an ass-face) I decided the that living in fear of some pissed off 12 year old making up a story was not worth it and got a degree in CIS instead. I now work for a crap company doing all facets of IT work for what I perceive to be peanuts. I often times wish I had stuck it out and become a teacher and would feel like more of a contribution to society and have summer off. Good luck.

Word of advice: If you are swayed from teaching and go into IT, steer clear of doing Lotus Domino work or working for companies in automotive manufacturing supply.

omgsoorandum · 2011-01-24T07:52:46+00:00

I taught grade 4 for 2 years, grade 7 for 3, then made the jump to high school. High school is INFINITELY less stressful - not as rewarding, but if you find yourself thinking that you cant see yourself doing this for 35 years, make the jump.

kateingradschool · 2011-01-24T08:25:16+00:00

This is so frustrating and such a sad commentary on our society.

wh44 · 2011-01-24T09:03:30+00:00

Thank you.

dxcotre · 2011-01-24T15:35:12+00:00

I can confirm I fall solidly into the "...why?" slice.

2011-01-24T05:23:47+00:00

pediphile=in love with children's feet.

satertek · 2011-01-24T05:59:31+00:00

If you're going to cross post directly to the image, you really need to at least leave the link of the original. Should have just made the link the original thread.

warpfield · 2011-01-24T08:13:53+00:00

Well, the average person, when asked if he's willing risk his kid on the very slim chance that a male teacher might be a perv, will say no, just ban men altogether from teaching kids. And he figures, if a female teacher is a perv, that's not so bad, his kid will be bragging about it.

Heracane · 2011-01-24T15:27:58+00:00

Read this as "a mule going to school to become a K-8teacjer".

2011-01-25T00:27:44+00:00

as a male 1st-9th grade English teacher in japan, i just have to deal with the opposite problem of kids trying to touch my junk

boentrough · 2011-01-25T01:50:41+00:00

I dealt with this everyday until I got chased out of my teaching program.

guyNcognito · 2011-01-24T07:55:08+00:00

I used to get 'Wow I could never do that.' To which I'd reply: 'You're right. You probably couldn't.'

2011-01-24T10:56:57+00:00

Why are people making jokes about your feet? That's messed up, man.

reilmb · 2011-01-24T15:56:53+00:00

One of the best teachers my son has ever had, and the only teachers that really get him (geeky shy 11 year old ) are the male teachers. So good luck.

2011-01-24T16:38:25+00:00

Well, at least you won't be able to teach the kids how to properly spell 'pedophile', apparently.

spthomp · 2011-01-24T17:42:58+00:00

might want to work on your word roots, pedophile.

THEMACGOD · 2011-01-24T17:59:56+00:00

FOOT MOLESTER!

KittensTiger · 2011-01-24T18:04:11+00:00

Hope you aren't planning on becoming a English or Spelling teacher. "pediphile"

2011-01-24T18:28:50+00:00

It's spelled "pedophile", Mr. Teacher.

maqr · 2011-01-24T05:15:24+00:00

If people are making that "joke" now, what makes you think this is a safe profession for you? If people already have that associate and you've done nothing wrong, imagine what will happen if any kid ever falsely accuses you of anything.

I'd give it some serious reconsideration if I were you.

ziumil · 2011-01-24T15:12:43+00:00

Good for you, bro. I worked for years as a substitute and then as an aide in elementary schools and preschool through college and after. I have to say, I wish that women got the welcome from men in traditional mens' fields that I got from 99.9% of the women I worked with (this was true also when I later became a nurse). I almost always felt appreciated and welcomed. It helped that I was in a men's group where I'd heard about stuff that some other men went through where they'd had their rights violated and stuff so that when I encountered that other .1% of coworkers, I didn't get sunk by it but stood up for myself. I don't want kids of my own (I wouldn't be a plus in their lives, I can't deal with it 24x7) but I love working with other peoples' kids and being a plus in their lives.

2011-01-24T18:13:07+00:00

The majority of my K-8 teachers were male. 8th grade was about 9 yrs ago. Do you think those teachers went through the same thing or not?

Even if one of my teachers (male or female) wanted to molest or rape me or someone else, I don't see when they would have the opportunity to anyway.

Zalenka · 2011-01-24T18:17:45+00:00

Do cool science stuff, launch rockets, have contests, and push the students. They will look up to you. Be that guy!

DigiSerf · 2011-01-24T20:09:35+00:00

Children that age don't need teachers, they need babysitters. In fact given their future the education part is kind of questionable anyhow. I mean whats the point? They are all going to be low income earners servicing old money, or criminals. So how much education do they really need?

2011-01-24T20:51:21+00:00

I find it interesting that many men (myself included) would really enjoy being a grade-school teacher and being responsible for the education of future generations, but because of pedo-fear, any man that sneezes in the vicinity of a child is suspected of being sexually aroused by the kids.

I also find it interesting how many times I hear about a female teacher being sexually active with her students, yet there is never anyone trying to protect our students from sexual predators, just male sexual predators.

piradie · 2011-01-24T20:51:24+00:00

You must be glad they don't make pedophiles jokes, heh.

2011-01-24T20:54:51+00:00

I'm a high school ELA (and oral communications) teacher in Arkansas, and this is 100% true. On the other hand, at first, my students thought I was gay and then later thought I was a pedophile (which was some sort of upgrade) before they figured out I had a real (and similarly aged) girlfriend.

Mind blowing stuff.

locke-peter · 2011-01-24T23:40:04+00:00

more evidence of America's(Western World's) social dysfunction. those bad, evil men always doing bad stuff like raping and killing everything they ever lay eyes on. :P fucking idiots everywhere.

zau64 · 2011-01-26T09:36:27+00:00

I actually wanted to go to school for the same thing, but the stress of the strong possibility of dealing with idiotic baseless suspicions keeps me from pursuing that dream. So instead I'm stuck with a job I hate, and have little passion for getting into anything else.

vacax · 2011-01-24T05:43:15+00:00

As someone who has a new teaching credential, I would probably respond with "you're going to have a hell of a time finding a job." I guess that is beside your point though.

damnatio_memoriae · 2011-01-24T07:26:02+00:00

Pediphile joke

So you're into feet?

Sheath · 2011-01-24T03:16:19+00:00

It's spelled pedophile.

gmeharder · 2011-01-24T07:25:02+00:00

I would ask why too, but only because both my parents were teachers.

MooseFlyer · 2011-01-24T04:25:42+00:00

Seriously?! PEDIPHILE?! -.-

throwaway18455 · 2011-01-24T13:38:12+00:00

pediphile?

WTF you are not ready to start informing children

wbeavis · 2011-01-24T13:36:18+00:00

I started off college to become a teacher (didn't last). There are 3 reasons to become a teacher. June, July, and August.

There was another expression that was tossed around. "Those that can, do. Those that can't, teach." Although this was directed mostly at Professors.

Good luck. Your training will likely ill-prepare you for the job, be ready for some hard times.

waspinator · 2011-01-24T17:35:26+00:00

pediatricians get the same response

cb98678 · 2011-01-24T22:58:40+00:00

I can vouch that this is a very accurate chart. a Co-worker of mine started a non-profit program where they help Low income children in Jr. high prep for standardizing testing. We crack on him non stop, constant pedophile jokes.

2011-01-24T08:34:43+00:00

What's the best thing about twenty five year olds?

There's twenty of them!

p.s. It's spelled pedophile. Pediphile means you love feet.

Dangger · 2011-01-24T13:16:30+00:00

All of my male teachers in elementary school were gays and one of them harassed me to the point where there was almost a lawsuit. Funnily enough I also ended up teaching a k-8 class for over a year. The hardest thing I've ever done.

2011-01-24T07:23:24+00:00

But seriously, you want to have sex with boys right?

RikF · 2011-01-24T10:51:59+00:00

You're going to get paid jack shit and end up in prison. Great career choice fucktard.

backyardlion · 2011-01-24T04:43:36+00:00

Seriously though, you must just look really creepy. I only say this because as a fellow male who was recently enrolled in school to become an elementary school teacher, I never got the "you must be pedophile' line. Not one single time. Weird.

You probably just have that creepy "I might just rape you" vibe and you're not even aware of it. Sad. You may want to take the radical reactions of your peers to you becoming a school teacher as a sign---you're not very amiable or presentable according to current societal standards

Title	As a male going to school to become a K-8 teacher, this is what I deal with. (xpost from r/pics)
Author	[deleted]
Upvotes	300
Comments	172
Date	January 24, 2011 2:11 AM UTC (13 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/f7swg/as_a_male_going_to_school_to_become_a_k8_teacher/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/as-a-male-going-to-school-to-become-a-k-8-teacher.1043979 https://theredarchive.com/post/1043979