The New Gender Gap: From kindergarten to grad school, boys are becoming the second sex

BusinessWeek ^ | May 26, 2003 | Michelle Conlin

[Coleus]

"The War Against Boys"

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0684849577/qid=1010179628/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_3_1/002-0565676-2218456

http://umbc7.umbc.edu/~korenman/wmst/hoffsommers.html

http://www.friesian.com/sommers.htm

http://www.cblpolicyinstitute.org/waragainst.htm

http://www.humaneventsonline.com/articles/11-24-00/harder.html

[Skywalk]

Yeah, because the halls of human achievement in philosophy, political and economic thought, science, engineering, art, architecture, athletics, literature and even cooking are literally bursting to seams with women.

[Skywalk]

Bah!

When I was in 4-5th grade, I was enrolled in a Catholic school. I had the misfortune of having a teacher that was EXTREMELY anti-male. Oh, she didn't always treat us like crap, but when it came time for parent-teacher conferences there was a near-riot because of the parents anger at this woman.

I was earning the highest grades of anyone in the class and was quite respectful, but even when playing by the rules of the system my nearest girl competitor was constantly showered with praise and little "assignments" or "tasks" that showed how "trusted" she was by the teacher.

And that was happening to me, what if you were a less-than-quiet average boy student?

And all throughout my younger years, the female teachers often had a disdain for the boys, and WE weren't the ones talking throughout class. Fortunately, I went to a magnet school that had a decent mix of male/female teachers. But talk to any male student and you'll see that, sorry, female teachers DO NOT favor them.

[Skywalk]

You know, I thought all good FReepers would have learned already from available sources (Gatto being one of them) that the modern American educational system is based on the PRUSSIAN model.

THe Prussian system was built around developing loyal and pliant citizenry that fulfill the ends of the State.

This is very similar to the ends of the current system being to supply a pliant and docile workforce and citizenry.

Education and enrichment is NOT the goal of the American public school system.

[mdmathis6]

Two Words....Bill Gates(college drop out extrordinaire and founder of some dinky computer company out west)

You see there are flaws in the education system in our country....they tend to shackle ones dreams. Thomas Edison practically invented modern America....but his early teachers thought him to be retarded; I reflect on this while looking at the lamp and light bulb next to my desk.

GPA's and the time it takes to polish them, for some-people actually bollux up the creative capacity of a male who can solve a probelm in a burst of insight, but says Yuckk when his teacher tells him to "show" his work.

For some teachers it becomes a clash of power and will when they encounter students who turn in science or math tests with perfect scores, while refusing to do the homework. They feel those students must learn discipline and to be more "humble". In this case the teacher becomes less of a proctor for learning and more of a scolding NUN!

My solution would be increased support for home-schooling and other programs that allow tailoring schooling to the specific proclivities of the individual....our society needs those who are content in the exacting details of bureaucracy and ordered conformity; (we need the pencil pushers). But what we cannot afford to lose are the dreamers, the unconventional, the occasional failed drop-outs that rock our world with innovation and change!

[mdmathis6]

"I can imagine. I too was one who did things beyond the pale, but I do not wish to waste the resources of JimRob's site on My personal reflections (although if anyone would wish to enquire, well...)"

My grades in high-school got me into the honor society but I wasn't valedictorian material. I had to work to help support myself and I prioritized my time in those subjects that I excelled in, and put enough effort in just to pass those subject I was weakest in. So I wasn't the best I could have been....but one day I was puzzling over why my turn table was playing too fast(I have perfect pitch). I looked at the gears of my bike, looked at the belt drive bezel on my turn table and then wrapped three turns of tape around the drive bezel, increasing the apparent circumference and there for the distance around the bezel which slowed the platter to its correct speed(seventy-six trombones is written in c major not dflat major.

My point is I saw in a flash of instinct and saw three dimensionally what needed to be done. I understood basic physic concepts without "showing the work" or doing the math. I wish I had more time to study and to feel secure doing it as I grew up. What am I now...an RN in an ICU in NY State, but I am nearing completion of my church's AV system complete with the speakers, subwoofer, that I built and designed from scratch(did have to do math there to match the speaker performance with the enclosure volume).

School and education is important but cookie cutter institutions don't always produce greatness or creativity.(greatness eludes me, but my friends at least know me as creatively eclectic with a fairly good singing voice). I suppose I was fortunate in someways in my school...there were teachers who seemed to know to let me keep my own course(and sometimes miss home-room, going directly to first period) as "long as my grades stayed up!"