Women teachers

In a poll at her blog, Seraphic found that at a singles event, men would rather approach a kindergarten teacher or an undiscovered artist of promise. What are the reasons for this? Some speculation: the kindergarten teacher likes kids, therefore would make a good mother. As for the artist--perhaps it is believed that the artist, with their supposed right-brain dominance (which has been 'disproven' iirc) or creativity or emotional side would make a good complement to men and their "logical" or analytic way of thinking. Perhaps there are other reasons as well -- an married artist could work at the home, and so on. Would those who chose the artist be willing to characterize some of the attributes of artists as feminine? It would hard to dispute that the kindergarten teacher is feminine, perhaps a model of femininity in certain ways.

The school teacher may be a safer prospect than the high-powered professional woman (the lawyer or business executive)--she may have aspirations towards having children and a more 'traditional' married life. But we know that having this job is not by itself a sufficient guarantee that she would make a good wife. However, if we look at the teachers on the public payroll in California, how many of them are at the vanguard of social 'progressivism'? Sure there may be Catholics here and there, some of whom may even have voted Yes for Proposition 8. But how many teachers would be fine teaching about that sort of tolerance which goes beyond justice or respect of person to their sexual behaviors? One can be a social progressive or a feminist and still be a teacher.

Tom Piatak praises the dedication and virtues of the members of religious teaching orders, like the fictional Sister Aloysius in the movie Doubt. A good teacher probably does not seek to be their students' buddy, and not exactly a mother either, though the role may be somewhat maternal. Sister Aloysius is the firm disciplinarian who is so precisely because she is concerned for the well-being of her students. Those who seek to become a teacher because they are looking for substitute affection will probably become disenchanted witih the job rather quickly, and if they stay, become bad teachers.

Taking care of one's appearance, being well-mannered, the everyday things that actually make up the bulk of civilization... teachers are no better from their fellow Americans. Do they believe that it is incumbent upon them to serve as role models for their students in these areas? Schools in California and many other states are rarely transmitters of American culture, being bastions of multiculturalism. Can we guess the politics of most teachers? Would it be safe to say that most of them are Democrats and voted overwhelmingly for Obama? (Are the political allegiances of teachers in the South and the 'fly-over' states different?)

This post has run out of steam. Oh well. I suppose if one can find a woman teaching at a private Catholic school (not associated with a diocese, or one associated with a good diocese), she would probably make a better match. But that seems like an obvious exception.