I could not post this in r/Teachers because I would surly get banned, but I just have to vent.

I am a male elementary school teacher in the liberal stronghold that is NYC, and I have been teaching 5th-grade for almost 3 years.

During my time teaching, I have experienced the blatant but quiet discrimination of boys in public education.

In university, I interned in a 2nd-grade classroom, which was challenging but very fun because I got to hang with cool kids and learn how young boys acted—my father committed suicide before I started kindergarten, so I don’t have any vivid memories of him.

Anyway, during my internship (which is called “student teaching” in the US), I vividly recall having to step out of class by my mentor teacher because I was “coercing” the male students to think in the manner many pre-pubescent boys do. What did I do that was so terrible? I used a Batman analogy to drive home a mathematical concept. That’s it!

My mentor teacher said that I should be more inclusive of strong female figures and not instill “toxic” ideals in young boys.

All I did was use Batman to help a young dude learn a mathematical concept because he was wearing a Batman shirt. I was trying to establish a good rapport and get his attention.

Another thing I experienced while student-teaching in the 2nd-grade classroom was that many of students – male and female, black and white – did not have a father. I realized this when I looked at the emergency contact forms for the class. And to be honest, I thought nothing of it. But that all changed when my students started calling me “dad” and “mister dad.”

Initially, I was taken aback, but after a couple of weeks, I grew to liking it because I felt like I had a purpose—I felt like the dad I never really got to know.

I really miss those kiddos, and the experience has made me want to have kids someday.

My message to men: consider elementary education. Boys and girls need strong male role models in addition to strong female role models.

I am sick and tired of the anti-male bias in society!

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Like every other identity group in society, boys deserve a chance in this world.