Religious order recruits male teachers for Catholic schools

Published: 2007-08-17

ST. LOUIS (CNS) -- The Midwest province of the Christian Brothers has begun a program to combat the growing shortage of male teachers. The province offers the Lasallian Teacher Immersion Program at universities run by the religious community to provide male college students with classroom teaching experience and opportunities to serve those in need while earning college credit. "(The program) is, in many ways, a return to our original mission," said Christian Brother Patrick Conway, the province's director of formation and director of the teacher immersion program. St. John Baptist de La Salle began his educational mission in the late 1600s with a teacher-training program, preparing laymen to serve the church as teachers, explained Brother Patrick, a longtime educator and former university vice president. "This is my 35th year in education. One thing I've noticed is the shrinking pool of male teachers, particularly as related to theology and religion teachers," he told the St. Louis Review, the archdiocesan newspaper. "In the United States today, 19 percent of all Catholic school teachers are men. In public schools it's 21 percent ... and 40 percent of children are growing up without a biological father in the house. Couple those things together and there is a real need," he said.

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