Gender Segregation In The Education System Research Paper

Gender Segregation In The Education System - Research Paper Example Single-sex schooling has characterized private education for decades. However, the amendment of Title IX by the Department of Education in 2004 effectively allowed for public schools to pursue gender segregation either in entire schools or classes. In 2006, single sex schools were formally legalized and even incentives provided for public schools to transform into single sex schools instead of just providing single sex classes within coeducation schools. The advent and legalization of single sex schools was mainly as a response to concerns from certain sections of the society that coeducation was promoting gender inequity in education. Some of the main concerns include the observation that coeducation schools were responsible for education stereotypes amongst boys and girls. Some of these stereotypes inc single-section that mathematics and sciences are traditionally for males while females are proficient in hum single-sex languages. Thus, single-sex schools were muted as a way to all ow boys and girls to pursue their interests without having to face stereotypes (National Association for Single Sex Public Education, 2011). Kiselewich (2008) advocates for gender segregation in education on a separate but equal basis just as is accepted in athletics. The evidence put forward to support single-sex schools extrapolated from studies that are not directly related to single-sex education. For instance, advantages given for single-sex schooling were mainly drawn from studies on peer/role model effect. Hoxby’s (2000) class size study findings indicated that classes with majority female students had better performance in certain subjects. This is only indirectly related to single-sex education, and there is no evidence that the impact on boys may be equal to that of girls. Other considerations that backed gender segregation stated that girls were likely to pursue male-dominated careers if they attended single-sex schools. The argument further stated that women in si ngle-sex colleges pursued mathematics and sciences on a much greater level than those in coeducation schools (Billger, 2006). The Counterproductive Nature of Gender Segregation in the Education System One of the explanations as to why the promotion of gender segregation in the education system is counterproductive is that it promotes the same gender stereotypes it is said to be addressing. There are several aspects through which this is seen beginning with the insistence that by proponents of single-sex schools that such a system places girls in a position to handle mathematics and sciences. By doing this and by labeling single-sex schools as facilities where girls can pursue these areas of study, the perception that such subjects are better and that girls cannot excel in them is further strengthened.