Male primary teachers ‘fear false sex abuse claims’

MEN are put off teaching in primary schools because they are afraid of being falsely accused of sexually abusing students, a study has found.

More than one-third of male teachers who took part in a study on gender balance in primary teaching cited sex abuse claims as a factor that would strongly discourage other men from entering the profession.

Although issues such as perceived better job prospects outside teaching, poor salary and slow career progress were ranked as higher deterrents, men said false claims were more discouraging than the compulsory Irish language requirement for teaching.