Comments about ‘Decline of single-sex classrooms in London leads to decline in boys learning, says London headmaster’

"Citizens Commission on Civil Rights and the American Association of University Women are against such movements, "saying research on benefits is inconclusive and the practice violates equality." "

YEP, supporting the socialist agenda all the way, while ignoring the evidense.

And over 50% of children are now residing in single parent households, most of them with the mother. Perhaps the absent fathers need to spend more time with their children. Assessing the problem with such a narrow focus (looking inside the schoolroom) isn't going to solve the problem in my opinion.

There are several reasons:

Many boys need male role models. Most single parent households are female led and most elementary teachers are females.

Schools are designed generally for teacher-pleasing female students. Most of the elementary teachers are female, the curriculum and structure of schools lend itself to those students that can sit quietly. Things like PE and recess have been cut, great outlets for boys. Boys that are sometimes aggressive and perhaps a bit hyper are labeled ADD and often put on medication to regulate their behaviors.

At the high school and college level Title IX has been good for females but devastating for males. Male Olympic sports such as gymnastics and wrestling have been cut at the college level, thus eliminating many potential scholarships and opportunities for male students (not everyone can play football).

I think these are the contributing factors.

I think single gender schools at the public level, which has been piloted successfully but at too small of a level, would be a great idea. Also, single gender schools often help female students in the areas of mathematics and science, so it is a good deal for females too!

To Superman: It could be that fathers aren't allowed to spend any more time with their kids than what the courts are allowing due to mothers who are just out for vengeance. I do know this, as an educator. Boys are being left behind because there are not enough male role models in our schools. The majority of teachers are female, especially in the elementary and middle schools. What males are in our high schools, to a large extent, are coaches. Those young men who are not gifted enough to make the football and basketball teams find themselves adrift. As a male who coaches I do all I can to encourage young men (and women) to come be a part of my teams. If they do typically their grades remain steady and they remain or get back on track for graduation.

"I get irked that we are muddying the waters, looking for magic bullets when all we have to do is care more about our students as people," she wrote.

All we have to do is care more? Are you serious? If you care you will provide boys with a solution to their problem! Looking for magic bullets? It's called problem solving. Are you or are you not interested in solving the problem? She obviously cares more about keeping boys at a lower achievement level relative to girls than improving their education. That's really what this is about. She can't stand the thought of boys breaking free from her female-dominated profession and achieving as much as girls. Honestly, what other motivation would have for rejecting this common sense solution of putting boys with other boys and male teachers?

Part of the issue really is the fact that teaching salaries are horrible. If you want quality teachers - male as well as female - you need to pay teachers more, and administrators less. The money shouldn't have to be like squeezing blood from a turnip.

Men who want to teach would love to teach, but only if they are allowed to teach their way, and with their own ideas, instead of having the curriculum so "touchy feely" and having to teach morals as well as school subjects.

There really needs to be a way of creating a robust school scenario without making girls feel like they need to have aggression and be bully-like, or boys feel like they should put on dresses and lipstick. We really have done a whopper of a job on creating mixed messages for our kids.

Looking for a solution to this problem that is as complex as segregating boys from girls is insanity. Yes, there will tend to be a portion of the US that will opt for this option, but is overly optimistic and ignores other problems. For both sexes, the best solution would be to have hands-on training at every level, instead of rote memorization. It would be the most effective solution for boys and their ADD, instead of simply having an outlet like sports or music. Many boys have no problem learning instruments in school BECAUSE IT'S HANDS ON. Teach kids how to be manufacturers or something. Start coupling education with businesses instead of a separate area. Stop segregating children from the real world and get them interested in the functioning of life at a real level. We need to stop having kids learn by drawing pretty pictures of concepts and do it hands on instead. As for competition, capitalism also functions on competition and is clearly destructive, with people competing for livelihood. Hopefully, with women in the workforce in greater numbers, it will encourage healthy COOPERATION, instead of competition. Get a grip.

Between the lines:

I realize the problem is complex. What I suggested above I truly think will help. I think gender segregated-schools work. They have worked for centuries literally in parochial and private schools. I just would like public schools to use this model work.

There is a real crisis in our inner city schools especially with our boys. And some schools have investigated the single gender school and got results. Unfortunately, some well meaning but destructive liberal educators have fought against this concept.

At the high school and college level, Title IX has taken away many opportunities for males to attend college. If Title IX was done away with or altered in some away against using a quota system I think literally tens of thousands of opportunities for male students to attend college would open up. Right now more women attend college than men and I think something close to 50-50 would be ideal.

I also believe by raising teacher salaries that more males would be attracted to the field of teaching. Doing this this would help many boys.

Yes, there are many deeper societal issues at work, most certainly and we can agree on that.