More public schools dividing boys, girls

[miami_fan]

By SCOTT BAUER, Associated Press Writer
Thu Jan 25, 9:19 PM ET



Lauren Panos was surprised when she walked into her ninth-grade English class in the fall and saw there were no boys.

Her parents had not told her they had enrolled her in a new all-girls class at Arrowhead High School in Hartland, about 25 miles west of Milwaukee. A semester into classes, Panos still isn't sold on the idea.

"All the girls there, they can talk out of turn," the 14-year-old said. "We get really off task and it's really annoying."

More public school systems are looking at separating boys and girls, whether for certain classes or by entire schools, after the federal government opened the door last fall. Supporters say splitting students by sex minimizes distractions, helps them learn better and allows boys and girls to explore subjects they may not otherwise take.

Panos' classmate, Alyson Douglas, 15, said she likes not worrying about boys causing disruptions.

"Guys just make a bigger nuisance in the class," she said.

Panos' and Douglas' school is one of just three public schools in Wisconsin that offers classes for either boys or girls only. But Thursday night, the Milwaukee School Board approved a committee report calling for opening a school with all same-sex classes, perhaps by 2008.

Milwaukee would join several other large cities where public schools already offer single-sex classes. They include New York City _ where there are nine single-sex public schools _ as well as Chicago, Dallas, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

Plans to open same-sex schools have been announced in Miami, Atlanta and Cleveland.

Nationwide, at least 253 public schools offer single-sex classes and 51 schools are entirely single sex, according to the National Association for Single Sex Public Education. In 1995, just three public schools offered single-sex classes.

Critics of same-sex classrooms argue that proven methods of improving education should be pursued instead of one that divides boys and girls. Separating boys and girls is tantamount to "separate but equal" segregation-era classrooms, they say.

"Too many schools feel they can carry out a social experiment with students' education with really the flimsiest of theories," said Emily Martin, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Women's Rights Project.

Single-sex schools are an "illusionary silver bullet," said Lisa Maatz, director of public policy and government relations for the American Association of University Women. They distract from real problems and do not offer proven solutions such as lower class sizes and sufficient funding, she said.

Many classrooms and schools could make the switch thanks to a change made by the U.S. Department of Education in November.

Previously, single-sex classes had been allowed in only limited cases, such as gym classes and sex education classes. But the new rules allow same-sex education any time schools think it will improve achievement, expand the diversity of courses or meet students' individual needs.

Enrollment must be voluntary and any children excluded from the class must get a "substantially equal" coed class in the same subject, if not a separate single-sex class.

The change could mean a boom in public schools splitting the sexes. Leonard Sax, executive director of the National Association for Single Sex Public Education, predicts that if public schools follow the path of private schools, where 7 percent are single sex, some 5,000 single-sex schools could open in the next 20 years.

It has opened the door for Milwaukee's plan, which had been on the drawing board for three years, said school board member Jeff Spence.

"I would suggest that for many of our kids and families, especially in Milwaukee, it's a question of choice," Spence said. "We have an array of choices in Milwaukee and I just think this should be one additional choice."

Reading this article got me thinking. Is there any way other than gender that public schools could separate students without some major lawsuit happening? Race is out. How about religion? Economic class? Maybe there are lawsuits on gender as well. I don't doubt the research is credible. It just seems like if classes were broken in any other fashion, there would be protest in the street.

[ISiddiqui]

"Too many schools feel they can carry out a social experiment with students' education with really the flimsiest of theories," said Emily Martin, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Women's Rights Project.

Yep. I mean haven't we accepted that school is also about social learning in addition to 'book learning' (so to speak)? All this single-sex school stuff seems to focus on how horrible boys are in the classroom. As if girls all want to pay attention and because of rowdy boys fall into a habit of passing notes and talking during class.

It's utter ridiculous stuff.

[rkmsuf]

If in real life male and females are separate than you may have something. Otherwise schools like this create fantasyland --- not prepare and educate youth.

[rowech]

There is a very different way in which students learn when it comes to boy-girl and I would love to see split classes. I don't think split schools but split classes. Boys are much more competitive and it would be good to foster this in an actual class. Girls are not...they would much rather discuss, work through the answer. Not to mention the immense distractions created as high school boys continually show off for girls.

[bob]

Originally Posted by rowech

Not to mention the immense distractions created as high school boys continually show off for girls.

Or the distraction girls that want attention create by wearing short skirts.... it cuts both ways.

[Butter_of_69]

I thought neighborhood based schools already separate by economic class.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by rowech

There is a very different way in which students learn when it comes to boy-girl and I would love to see split classes. I don't think split schools but split classes. Boys are much more competitive and it would be good to foster this in an actual class. Girls are not...they would much rather discuss, work through the answer. Not to mention the immense distractions created as high school boys continually show off for girls.

Like I said, I can't really doubt the research as I have not looked at it all that closely. I was looking at it more from a sociological and cultural basis. If I were to remove "boys" and "girls" from the article and plugged in two different races, religions, ethnic groups, economic classes, sexual orientation, etc. I don't believe they would split the classes even if research showed there were similar benefits as the research apparently shows when it comes to boys and girls. Just the very idea that anyone would do that type of research would draw the ire of some segment of the public.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by bob

Or the distraction girls that want attention create by wearing short skirts.... it cuts both ways.

I will defend to the death the right of high school girls to wear short skirts to class.

[bulletsponge]

Originally Posted by bob

Or the distraction girls that want attention create by wearing short skirts.... it cuts both ways.

this is the main reason why i got more "C"s than "A"s. there was always some cute girl showing too much and i spent most of class distracted.

[Synovia]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Yep. I mean haven't we accepted that school is also about social learning in addition to 'book learning' (so to speak)? All this single-sex school stuff seems to focus on how horrible boys are in the classroom. As if girls all want to pay attention and because of rowdy boys fall into a habit of passing notes and talking during class.

It's utter ridiculous stuff.

I went to an all boy's highschool. Honestly, best thing that ever happened to me.

Suddenly, theres no social intrigue. People talk to each other. Nothing that happened the year before matters. You can talk to a person even if they dont like a friend of one of your friends.

Then I wetn to college, and had to deal with all the complex social structures that girls love to build, just so they cna hurt each other.

[Synovia]

Rowech, it is my oppinon that high shcool girls show off for the boys as much, if not more, than the boys show of for the girls. The girls also show off to each other, which creates even more infighting. I have a hard time seeing that go away.

My sister went to an all girls highschool, and there was just as much drama as a coed school. I went to an all guys highschool, and there was absolutely no drama or distraction.

[rowech]

Synovia, you're probably right with girls showing off as much.

Miami fan...I agree that any other classification would result in some serious issues.

[Fonzie]

Originally Posted by Drake

I will defend to the death the right of high school girls to wear short skirts to class.

Or anywhere else.

[Warhammer]

Best fight in HS:

Girl 1 tells Girl 2 to be nice to her cousin while he is in town. Girl 2 proceeds to sleep with said cousin. Girl 1 tracks down Girl 2 at school and yells, "I told you to be nice to him, I didn't tell you to **** him!"

"That qualifies as nice in my book, what do you care?"

Best cat fight in the world then ensued.

If it was two guys, as long as it wasn't a girlfriend, they'd be high fiving each other.

[Klinglerware]

The research does seem to indicate that single-sex education does foster academic interests contrary to gender role stereotype (e.g., girls are more likely to gravitate towards math and science, boys are more likely to sign up for art, etc.), and the students appear to be more comfortable and less distracted. However, there does not appear to be a net gain in academic performance.

So, if this is not really helping academic performance, and is delaying social development into early adulthood--I'm not sure if single-sex education is a policy we should be embracing sans more evidence that it works...

http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-2/sex.html