I'm not saying always, but certainly at the schools I went to, the female teachers were by and large softer, and would let you get away with more.

I think naturally, when faced with bad behavior women will try to empathize and reason, whereas men will tend to punish/kick into line.

When I was a kid of 9 and in school, going into my first class with a male teacher, I had the same theory. It turned out I was wrong, though. My least favorite classes from then on out were all taught by women. It was like women had to be extra bitchy to maintain distance or something.

You haven't met my mother.

"More men are not needed in childcare/teaching because women are naturally - from birth - better at the type of empathy and communication that is required in those fields."

If you empathise with someone, it is harder to cause them discomfort because it causes you discomfort also. Thus, someone with lesser empathy would be better at discipling children.

"I disagree that men are better at disciplining children than women are."

You can't have it both ways, Sarkozy. Which is it?