I am sorry, I must reply to the notion that single sex schools can be
damaging to gender equity. To the contrary, I credit my education in a
single sex, private high school for my ability to rise above the state that
my life should be in based on national statistics. If I look at the social
groups and family circumstances of my life, I should be on welfare with 6-7
children! a drug addict! or worse!
I will agree that single sex schools can be done poorly, but when done
correctly, they give girls and young women the power to stand up to social
inequities. They provide us with a practice space that is nurturing and
supportive, so that when we have to face the tough issues, we are prepared.
I think of all of the girls that I went to high schools with, we are all
doing amazing things with our lives and on behalf of our children and our
communities!
Now the school that I went to was very expensive. I have even heard the
better off among us talk about the decision to send their daughters to
private high schools at $10,000 per yr., and then to public colleges at
$10,000 per year as a way to maximize their funds while providing their
girls with the best start! I think the idea of public single sex school is
a good one, especially if done well, with small class sizes and nurturing
teachers who really believe in the niche that they are in. This gives the
benefits of all girls schools to everyone, not just the wealthy, or as in my
case, people who don't mind being in debt the rest of their lives.
Kelly Clark
SUNY Geneseo
<clark@geneseo.edu>
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