FINDING THOSE MISSING MEN. "As fewer men teach, educators bemoan loss of role models." Scroll down and notice this: "But in recent years, as many occupations have gotten more diverse, teaching has gotten less so." The article uses "diverse" in the usual limited sense. Nothing about diversity in teaching styles, or hobbies, or what have you. And where have all the men gone? Follow the money: "Teachers cite pay and lack of respect as two of their top reasons why fewer males might favor the profession.

In addition, the stereotype still exists that it's not masculine to teach young children." The first two reasons strike me as more important. Money alone isn't sufficient to attract people, working conditions matter too. The days when a teacher could discipline a student and the kid's hope was that the school wouldn't call home, where he'd really get it, are long gone. What's the root cause of the problem? "The men at school play a doubly crucial part in the lives of children who don't live with their fathers or who live with men who are poor role models, educators say." The real problem isn't with the hiring practices of the schools, is it? It's with the mating habits of the students' parents.

If memory serves, I had only female teachers until the fourth grade. Their biggest crime was not letting me read ahead in the text. They did ensure that I learned to letter (cursive is another matter.) They were not sure what to do with someone who could already read and figure. I don't see that their failings in those areas were driven by their hormones. I do agree with the sense that the school, particularly when it comes to art and literature, is a girly environment that likely drives many boys (and some girls, the ones who will build their own sailboats later) to distraction.