Single-Sex Education Based on Gender Stereotypes
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Submissions for this form are closed.Does your son or daughter or do you attend a public school where students are separated, and taught differently, based on their sex?
The ACLU has long fought to end the practice of separating boys and girls in public schools based on discredited “science” that is rooted in outdated gender stereotypes. Single-sex proponents say that boys and girls are “hardwired” to learn differently, and that the most effective way to teach them is to separate them based on their sex and use different teaching strategies. For example, teachers are instructed that because girls do badly under stress, they should not be given time limits on tests; and that boys who like to read, do not enjoy contact sports and do not have a lot of close male friends should be firmly disciplined, required to spend time with “normal males” and made to play sports.
Creating sex-segregated schools and classrooms is a waste of time and effort that diverts resources from initiatives that actually will improve the education of both boys and girls—such as fostering parental involvement, improving school climate, and increasing teacher training. Moreover, sex-segregated classes can reinforce stereotyped notions of how boys and girls should behave, and deprive students of important preparation for the real, coeducational worlds of work and family. Rather than offering choice, sex-segregated programs limit educational opportunities for both boys and girls.
We’d like to hear from you if you or your son or daughter attends a single-sex public school or a public school with sex separated classes. For children under 13, this survey must be completed by your parent or guardian.
We’ll keep your story confidential unless we contact you and get your permission to share it.