The Washington Post reporter Lori Aratani covers the findings of The Task Force on the Education of Maryland's African-American Males. Among other things the task force proposes educating some African-American males in single sex classes. The task force suggests that this proposal is controversial. Why? Because some might argue that single sex classes might further segregate these young men. On the other hand it has been adequately demonstrated that many young men do much better in a single sex school where the social pressures take a back seat to personal growth and achievement.
I think that single sex education is a concept worth considering. What do you think?
Comments
As a graduate of Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA (a women’s college), I truly believe in the value of single-sex education for both men and women. In deciding to attend Agnes Scott as a “non-traditional aged” student, I was concerned that there would be a lack of stimulus due to the lack of a male voice. What I found was that we were empowered as women to find our own voices. While it is a travesty that women still feel compelled to “dumb down” in the presence of men, it is a all too common occurence. My fear that young women would not be able to compete in the real world due to lack of male exposure was not only unfounded, it was ridiculous. Women already have to fight to be heard in a still male-dominant employment sphere. The single-sex classrooms gave us so much confidence in our intellectual and interpersonal abilities that we emerge into the working world without a concept of gender-related inferiority. This is not, however, meant to be a diatribe against female oppression. It is only to say that for women, there are extraordinary benefits in a women’s college experience. I can only assume that the same is true for men!
Eloquently said! We should never rule out viable options.