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Culture War Roundup for the week of July 17, 2023

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any male dominated group should have dramatically more abuse.

Sure, but schools are far, far larger than any other institution with even 10% as much access to children. I can't think of any profession easier to get into, more respected, and with easier access to children than teacher. Therapists probably have more access, but it's much harder to become a therapist, probably harder to dodge sexual abuse claims, and there are about 20 teachers for every therapist.

Generally all of the professions with access to children are dominated by women. So I totally get your reasoning that male-dominated professions should have more abuse, but in this case there's a strong, direct counterforce, which is that male-dominated professions also have less access to kids, almost in proportion to the extent to which they're male-dominated.

In the end I can think of some reasonable factors explaining away the gender split vs. frequency of abuse issue, and the stats pretty clearly indicate that schools are where the abuse happens, so that's what I'm inclined to believe. Totally get it if you disagree though.

The scandal is not only the abuse, but the systematic coverup.

Do American public schools, as SOP and official policy, protect the abusive teachers, silence the accusations and if the miscreants became well known, reassign them silently somewhere else so they can continue?

(wouldn't surprise me if it was the case)