Mr. Beaudrot directed me here.This post is right on. I am not sure if you meant to draw attention to a sex-based vs. gender-based educational system, but I think the distinction is very important, especially when the age of the students is considered.I remember one of my earliest comments/exchanges with MY was regarding Deep Springs College, where I attended (in a distant time) and where more than a few of his Harvard colleagues did their first few years of college work. DS was (and is) a single-sex college (boys/men/what have you) that is not gender based, but discriminatory on the basis of sex. Women cannot attend.For what it is worth, there are 4 or 5 male only colleges in the US, while there are over 80 women only colleges.In any event, DS has been voted "most gay friendly" by The Advocate, and continues to churn out academic hotshots on every level (Truman, Rhodes, etc.). And while the single-sex issue rages on, I think it is important to acknowledge that single sex education may have its place. DS is a two year school, which essentially guarantees that the students who enter as 17 and 18 year olds leave as 20 and 21 year olds to enroll in more traditional colleges (that is, co-ed).In any event, I think that single-sex education has its place. What place it should occupy, I am not sure. But I would be very opposed to the elimination of all-female schools, and I would also be opposed to the elimination of all-male schools. I do think that it is interesting that single-sex education is encouraged and tolerated up to the college level, but after graduation from high school is seen as a weird way to go about continuing the learning project. I would politely offer the idea that perhaps it is better to have young adults who are sexually mature (and most likely active) make the choice to attend a single-sex school is more preferable to a scenario that divides boys and girls when they are younger. Put another way, self-selection at the college level seems preferable to being forced to attend an all boys or all girls school through high school (which, of course, is widely done in private schools).Just sayin'. Make it a choice, not something that is imposed. And let's face it, any education system that treats girls or boys as anything less than full equals is not worthwhile. That said, it does seem to me that single sex education has its place, and that single-sex is not the same as single-gender. Having students of one sex play all of the roles in a functioning community can go a long way toward dispelling gender myths and enhancing ideas of equality, sacrifice, morality, sharing, negotiating, etc.). That was my experience, anyway.
gender based vs. same sex education
Mr. Beaudrot directed me here.This post is right on. I am not sure if you meant to draw attention to a sex-based vs. gender-based educational system, but I think the distinction is very important, especially when the age of the students is considered.I remember one of my earliest comments/exchanges with MY was regarding Deep Springs College, where I attended (in a distant time) and where more than a few of his Harvard colleagues did their first few years of college work. DS was (and is) a single-sex college (boys/men/what have you) that is not gender based, but discriminatory on the basis of sex. Women cannot attend.For what it is worth, there are 4 or 5 male only colleges in the US, while there are over 80 women only colleges.In any event, DS has been voted "most gay friendly" by The Advocate, and continues to churn out academic hotshots on every level (Truman, Rhodes, etc.). And while the single-sex issue rages on, I think it is important to acknowledge that single sex education may have its place. DS is a two year school, which essentially guarantees that the students who enter as 17 and 18 year olds leave as 20 and 21 year olds to enroll in more traditional colleges (that is, co-ed).In any event, I think that single-sex education has its place. What place it should occupy, I am not sure. But I would be very opposed to the elimination of all-female schools, and I would also be opposed to the elimination of all-male schools. I do think that it is interesting that single-sex education is encouraged and tolerated up to the college level, but after graduation from high school is seen as a weird way to go about continuing the learning project. I would politely offer the idea that perhaps it is better to have young adults who are sexually mature (and most likely active) make the choice to attend a single-sex school is more preferable to a scenario that divides boys and girls when they are younger. Put another way, self-selection at the college level seems preferable to being forced to attend an all boys or all girls school through high school (which, of course, is widely done in private schools).Just sayin'. Make it a choice, not something that is imposed. And let's face it, any education system that treats girls or boys as anything less than full equals is not worthwhile. That said, it does seem to me that single sex education has its place, and that single-sex is not the same as single-gender. Having students of one sex play all of the roles in a functioning community can go a long way toward dispelling gender myths and enhancing ideas of equality, sacrifice, morality, sharing, negotiating, etc.). That was my experience, anyway.