by Larry Wadsworth

Created on: February 13, 2009

Gender bias is built into our educational system right from the moment that the children walk through the door. We have seen an emphasis placed on trying to separate girls from boys inorder to encourage the girls to participate more in classes particularly at the Middle and Senior High School levels. There was the hope that this separation would encourage the girls to become more interested in Maths and Sciences, areas dominated by males. Our local university sponsors a weekend just for young women to spend time at the university, experiencing man fun activities in the areas of engineering, maths and other sciences. These events have been well attended. These efforts have not generated the results that were expected. Girls in the segregated schools continue to perform at about the same levels as girls in mixed schools. The math and science scores of girls continue to be at about the same level.

The bias in schools starts much before this level that is currently being addressed in the public schools. Early childhood education is designed and controlled by women. There is still the false expectation on the part of many educators that girls and boys will come to school with the same set of abilities. This is not the case.

There is a socialization of our children before they even start schools that puts little boys at a disadvantage from the very start. We expect that children will be able to sit and do fine motor skill activities. While little boys have been playing with their large Tonka Trucks little girls have been dressing their Barbie Dolls with those dinky little buttons and shoes. Girls have practiced more at sitting for longer periods of time doing controlled activities. Boys are encouraged to be running, jumping and climbing. As parents we try to give both our male and female children equal opportunities to develop their skills but no matter what we do our ingrained predispositions to have male and female children do various acitivities affects the skills that they take with them to school.

Special Education classes are comprised by over eighty percent males. Males are not born with the deficiencies that the school finds to label them needy. Adults socialize and prepare the children for what is perceived as being proper behaviors for each of the genders.

You only have to read a class set of report cards to see the gender bias. Note how many of the boys report cards contain the comment to the effect, "Johnny has a difficult time applying himself to a task" or "Johnny is inclined to want to interfere with the learning of others," or "Johnny has a difficult time controlling his energy levels and is often disruptive in class." Then count how many of the little girls have the same comments on their report cards. It would make an interesting study to see if there is a bias in the comments that are made by teachers. Bias thrives in our schools.

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