In the US, teachers like to complain that they aren't paid well enough, but if Canadian teachers commonly retire in their mid-50s, I guess that's not a problem there.

Also, in the US during the 80s and 90s, there was a bit of hysteria over alleged sexual abuse of children by teachers and day care attendants. Although that's dying down, it still might have dissuaded males from entering teaching.

Lots of innocent people, females as well as males, still rotting in prison from those charges.

I think more and more male teachers have been
prevented from providing the traditionaly
disciplinary backbone that they are naturally
suited for. Why work a job where you have to
take abuse from incorrigible brats.

Schools have become self-esteem factories and I
don't think that's the kind of environment most
men want. I don't think its about money since
when you consider the shorter hours the pay
is probably comparable with software engineers
and other jobs where the work schedule is more
unpredictable.

I would chalk it up to the natural predilections of men wanting to be around adults. I don't know many men who want a career involving spending all day around children. Women get much more satisfaction from these roles. You see more male teachers in junior and senior high, where the students are closer to adult sensibilities. I wouldn't look for any discriminatory factors. Women will always be a minority in the technical fields, for the same reason. Some gender roles are a matter of preference.

Besides which, aren't we getting to the point where any man who devotes his life to being around children is suspect?

Read "The War against Boys."

Schools have turned into anti-male environments, where the kind of leadership men embody is actively discouraged. Since men are not women in disguise, male teachers will often think of something else to do.

J.H/Robert/David/Jeff:

I agree with all of these points, but, whether a chicken or egg problem, haven't men gone along for the cultural ride (and profited in so doing)? I mean, if these horrible errors and injustices were recognized and felt widely, surely there would be a revolt, no?

The explanation is covered pretty well by Steven Goldberg in "Why Men Rule: A Theory of Male Dominance"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0812692365/qid=1074475234/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-2763571-2871046?v=glance&s=books

On the whole, men are attacted to professions that are valued & esteemed by society, and repeled by professions that are held in low esteem.

That's why medical doctors in the US are mostly men whereas in the USSR they were mostly women. Turns out that in the USSR, the profession of doctor was considered roughly equivalent to slaughter house worker.

The explanation is covered pretty well by Steven Goldberg in "Why Men Rule: A Theory of Male Dominance"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0812692365/qid=1074475234/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-2763571-2871046?v=glance&s=books

On the whole, men are attacted to professions that are valued & esteemed by society, and repeled by professions that are held in low esteem.

That's why medical doctors in the US are mostly men whereas in the USSR they were mostly women. Turns out that in the USSR, the profession of doctor was considered roughly equivalent to slaughter house worker.

Ray:

I'm sorry, but the posted article was about a decline in a profession where men used to be prominent. If you are right, what were they doing there in the first place? Is teaching less respectable than in the old days? Or was it just a stepping stone to being a producer of reality TV?

And, also, if you are right, what does that say about men?

Feminists who hate white, heterosexual males (and rationalize any and all of the shortcomings of black males) have taken over the teacher ed business. In America, they are joined by racist blacks, but I'm not sure about the degree of influence of racist blacks in the Canadian system.

When I taught college in New York and New Jersey during most of the '90s as an adjunct, my tenured female supervisors encouraged out-of-control female students (young men, too, but there were fewer of them, perhaps because male students knew the matriarchy was less supportive of them) to act up in class. There weren't many such students, but all you needed was one per class, in order for your life to be made miserable. My tenured male colleagues were best described in the words of an old (socialist and member of NOW) girlfriend: "pussy-whipped."

In urban schools, the problem is violent, racist black (and in the states) and Hispanic students. Many teachers are victimized by these thugs, while others will do anything to get in their good graces.

One of the weird consequences of the feminist takeover of teaching, is that in urban districts, female (particularly white female) teachers are increasingly at the mercy of ultraviolent suprepredators.

Since feminists have done everything in their power to make the schools inhospitable for white men, and the black men on hand tend to be hostile towards white women, feminists have done untold harm to white female teachers, not a few of whom have contributed to their own misery.

Peter:

Back in the day, girls weren't schooled to nearly the extent men were, meaning far fewer women were qualified to be be teachers.

As for the rest, it is part and parcel of the overall decay in public education.

Finally, and I say this with the greatest respect to you personally, lawyers have played their part. When I was in HS, many of the male teachers were like dad, someone you looked up to and feared retribution from at the same time. Lawyers have made sure male teachers can't instill fear where respect has failed.

Jeff:

Lawyers certainly played their part, but I'd give first prize to the caring professions.

Peter:

Yea, verily.