Do Same-Sex High Schools Promote Educational Success?
Do Same-Sex High Schools Promote Educational Success?
By
Kyle Neugebauer
3/11/2012
In this paper I am going to try to persuade you that same-sex high schools promote educational success. Single-sex education is an old approach that has recently gained new momentum. When we think about single-sex education, we tend to think just about private schools; however, there is a new push to create same-sex education in public schools as well. There are several arguments and statistics I will use throughout this essay to show you how same-sex education compares with co-educational atmospheres and why I believe that more states and schools should offer these learning atmospheres. I will also share the results of a survey I conducted that led me to think that public opinion is not on my side of the argument.
Argument 1-Limiting Distractions I believe that same-gender schooling would create a better learning environment by limiting distractions-especially sexual distraction. I am not naïve in believing that separating girls and boys would limit these distractions all together—I am only saying that it would limit them. For one, teen pregnancy rates are up and this is a major worry among government officials. I believe that if we free our children from the worries of impressing the opposite sex, boys and girls can focus on their books. "It's been proven that, without the interruption of the other sex, both do a better job of learning, says Audrey Lawson, founder of the Walter A. Lawson Institute for Prosperity and Peace, an all-boy charter middle school in Houston, Texas, that opened in September. They don't try to out-dress each other; they don't do as much tomfoolery,” (Vail, 2002). This is just one of many who believe that distractions can be a major roadblock to students’ educational advancement. Although this may not be what our children want, I believe that we owe it to them to look at the evidence when thinking about instituting more same-sex
By
Kyle Neugebauer
3/11/2012
In this paper I am going to try to persuade you that same-sex high schools promote educational success. Single-sex education is an old approach that has recently gained new momentum. When we think about single-sex education, we tend to think just about private schools; however, there is a new push to create same-sex education in public schools as well. There are several arguments and statistics I will use throughout this essay to show you how same-sex education compares with co-educational atmospheres and why I believe that more states and schools should offer these learning atmospheres. I will also share the results of a survey I conducted that led me to think that public opinion is not on my side of the argument.
Argument 1-Limiting Distractions I believe that same-gender schooling would create a better learning environment by limiting distractions-especially sexual distraction. I am not naïve in believing that separating girls and boys would limit these distractions all together—I am only saying that it would limit them. For one, teen pregnancy rates are up and this is a major worry among government officials. I believe that if we free our children from the worries of impressing the opposite sex, boys and girls can focus on their books. "It's been proven that, without the interruption of the other sex, both do a better job of learning, says Audrey Lawson, founder of the Walter A. Lawson Institute for Prosperity and Peace, an all-boy charter middle school in Houston, Texas, that opened in September. They don't try to out-dress each other; they don't do as much tomfoolery,” (Vail, 2002). This is just one of many who believe that distractions can be a major roadblock to students’ educational advancement. Although this may not be what our children want, I believe that we owe it to them to look at the evidence when thinking about instituting more same-sex
References: Merritt, R. D. (2008). Same-Sex Classrooms. Same-Sex Classroms-Research Starters Education, 1-17. Retrieved Mar. 4, 2012, from Research Starters Education (27577787). Caplice, K. S. (1994). THE CASE FOR PUBLIC SINGLE-SEX EDUCATION. Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, 18(1), Retrieved Mar. 9, 2012, from Business Source Complete (01934872). NASSPE, (2011). In Single-Sex vs. Co-ed: The Evidence. (chap. What’s the evidence? What have researchers found when they compare single-sex education with coeducation?). Retrieved Mar. 10, 2012, from http://www.singlesexschools.org/evidence.html Novotney, A. (2011). Coed verus single-sex ed. American Psychological Association, 42(2), 58-59. Retrieved Mar. 4, 2012, from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/02/coed.aspx Vail, K. (2002, Dec.). Same-Sex Schools May Still Get a Chance. Education Digest, 68(4), 32-39. Retrieved Mar. 11, 2012, from Academic Search Complete. (8684672).