Better call mom: Schools still see mothers as the default parent to contact
When both parents appeared equally available, schools were 40% more likely to call students’ moms, rather than their dads.
As the new school year commences, parents are faced with a familiar set of duties, notably mothers often bearing a greater burden. In a study conducted by economists, it was discovered that schools frequently default to contacting mothers over fathers when it comes to matters concerning their children. In a nationwide experiment involving over 80,000 school principals, it was found that approximately 60% of the time, mothers were the first point of contact, regardless of availability.
This bias persisted even when fathers were explicitly identified as the more available parent. This phenomenon may stem from schools' historical reliance on mothers' availability and responsiveness, as well as educators' ingrained habits. The cumulative effect of these calls can create additional burdens for mothers, potentially perpetuating existing gender disparities in caregiving responsibilities.
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