Sunday, 25 December 2005
Plans to Test Single Sex Schools Scrapped
The Jefferson County school system, in an incredibly stupid move, has delayed plans to create two single sex high schools in the Louisville area.
Among the reasons cited for the delay is objections by the ACLU. They claim that the plan would reinforce gender stereotypes as well as provide for unequal educational opportunities. There is also concern that students would not be guaranteed an option to transfer which could violate the students constitutional rights.
What gender stereotypes are being reinforced in this scenario? I don't understand that argument at all. Don't ALL schools provide unequal educational opportunities? Last time I checked no two schools or their teachers were ever equal. So how would single sex schools be any different from what already exists? And the last time I read the constitution, I didn't see any rights to public education. Thus I don't know how not being able to transfer violates a child's constitutional rights.
On the other hand the benefits from single sex education are significant. It allows teachers to tailor lessons to each gender and reduces distractions for the students. It also reduces instances of misbehavior that occurs when both sexes are in the same classroom.
Evidence supports this line of reasoning. At Southern High school, they have same sex classes. Students below grade level has fallen from 34 to 29 percent and suspensions have fallen. In addition most of the best academic high schools in the city are single sex parochial schools.
Personally, I went to an all male high school and there is no doubt that there is greater focus for the students. Boys are free to be boys, and girls are free to be girls without the sexual pressures that occur when the two sexes intermingle. It also generates a sense of camaraderie that is commonly found in the organizations like the college Greek system and the military. A bond that provides students with a sense of purpose beyond self.
Opposition to this proposal has nothing to do with helping kids to learn. Heck the left has never cared about kids. They only want to continue their grotesque social experiment. They realize that if this program succeeds, then their experiments will be shown for the failure that they are. I fear this noble program will never see the light of day.
