<p>I think anecdotal evidence on this thread already “prooves” that single sex and coed schools can both be successful.</p>
<p>About young men at risk. Yes, they are, but I have taught gender studies for 27 years and I really believe, sad to say, that this is biological collateral damage rather than the result of our school system.</p>
<p>In all tested cultures young men 15 - 30 take more risks than other groups. I think this is how all physically dangerous accomplishments are made. How many women would be fighter pilots with an 80% attrition rate in WWII? As the mother of an adored son, I am not condoning, supporting or emotionally accepting this, just reporting it.</p>
<p>And when one male can impregnant many females it’s understandable that a sense of invulnerability would be advantageous for our species but the symmetrical sense in young females would not be. Since so much time and care is needed to gestate, raise and wean a child, young woman could not (cannot) be profligate with themselves if our species was to have survived.</p>
<p>ONOH: Those young men at risk grow up to run the world. Those highly successful young females in most cases do not.</p>
<p>If we can keep the boys alive until 30 they do alright. Cultural images that celebrate war and macho behavior (alcohol, motor cycles, gangs, drag racing, etc.) would be my place to start, not the school system.</p>
<p>Maybe single sex private schools are an aid to young men, I don’t know. However, that solution is not going to touch the majority of young men at risk. Money just doesn’t exist. Segregating classrooms without money, trained personnel, etc etc may even exacerbate the problem for many at risk youth because young men do posture and compete for each other’s approval too. </p>
<p>My son was never ashamed to carry his violin case in front of girls. Boys? That was a different story. And he turned down the part of the prince in the Nutcracker even though he loves to perform with the words, “I’d rather die than be part of any dance.” I really think he meant it, and I don’t think he was thinking of girls when he said it. He was most certainly thinking of his image among young men.</p>
<p>I said, “You are just saying that to protect your image among your friends.”</p>
<p>Him: “Yeah, so what’s your point?”</p>