How to Educate Girls and Not Boys

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<p>veggiedog —
I’m so sorry you have to deal with an atmosphere that doesn’t support your educational goals.
I just wanted to address one thing.

In the case of high school, at least, I also don’t think it would be an alternative to have seperate classes for boys and girls. I enjoy attending school with boys, remaining open to their differing viewpoints and opinions, and I will have to work with and be exposed to them in the “real world” (which interestingly still supports males). On such a mass, national scale of separation of classes, many men and women would be alienated by each other in the “real world” because they often wouldn’t understand the psychological nature of the other after having few learning experiences with each other. Just as it wouldn’t make sense to seperate all workplaces into offices for men only and offices for women only, I don’t believe the same should be done for schools.

This is a common and erroneous misconception about single-sex schools. I’ve heard so-called feminists use it as an argument against all-girls schools, which (some of them) believe are degrading and confining for girls. This is absolutely untrue.</p>

<p>I attended coed elementary, all-girls high school, and am now at a coed college. I loved my high school experience and believe that I excelled there more than I would have at a coed school. Keep in mind that high school is not the “real world.” It’s a time when people are still in the process of maturing, and the opposite sex can be a HUGE distraction from serious study. For me, the absence of boys in the classroom was liberating and allowed me to focus completely on learning.</p>

<p>Single-sex school is, of course, not for everyone. I just get upset when people who have never experienced it speculate about how detrimental it must be. My best friend from high school’s roommate said (to her face!) that people who attend single-sex schools turn out to be “socially ■■■■■■■■.” Neither I, nor any of my former classmates, are “socially ■■■■■■■■” or unable to interact with guys. I just wish more people would examine the benefits of single-sex schools instead of relying on stereotypes or speculation.</p>