Jason Thornton was the "odd man in a world of female teachers" on this day in 1994. The 28-year-old teacher at Charles Conder Preschool was the only man among 90 teachers working in ACT public preschools.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Mr Thornton and his fine head of curls illustrated a piece on what was becoming a concerning local and national trend - the decline of male teachers entering the profession.
Men made up only 27 per cent of those entering the profession in 1994 according to federal government stats, down from 34 per cent a decade earlier. The lack of male teachers was seen as a particular concern for boys who might lack male role models.
Unfortunately the trend has continued and, according to a 2017 study, less than 18 per cent of primary school teachers are now men.
We tracked down Mr Thornton to see if he is still at it. Happily he still is, now working at Southern Cross Early Childhood School in Scullin as a community co-ordinator.
"It is hard to believe that it was 25 years ago," he said of his front page appearance.
"I am still passionate about education in the early years and I still enjoy working in this area."
