Christina, you are asking crucial questions here. From my perspective,
having focused on the issues regarding boys and school, I found this to be
one of the more objective (and free of divisive politics) articles I have
read about the growing body of data on boys' performance. That it
explicitly
states this is not a "zero-sum" argument also says a great deal about how
we
choose to respond to these concerns.
Susan Bailey further articulates that intent in the article: ''Paying
attention to girls and boys means paying attention to gender. And gender
isn't just girls ...,'' said Susan McGee Bailey, executive director of the
Wellesley Centers for Women, housed at Wellesley College. ''We do need to
look at the teaching techniques we're using. We need to look at materials
we're using, and we need to look at the expectations that we hold for
students.''
We cannot allow these legitimate concerns about boys' performance to be
co-opted in support of false assumptions that gender equity is only about
girls and women and, as a result, causal to these concerns. As such, it is
critical that our advocacy be seen as supporting the healthy development
and
academic achievement of boys as well. Finally, I think your closing
concern
about the possibility of Title IX being seen as unnecessary is only a
concern
if we allow divisive politics to use the "boys' issues" to further an
agenda
that does not really have the best interests of all girls and boys in mind.
If this were not the case, I don't believe we would be faced with the
current
challenges to the integrity of Title IX.
How are we doing this? This is a good place for us to share examples of
gender equity advocacy that integrates the concerns for girls and boys?
Craig P. Flood, Ed.D.
CFlood Associates
P.O. Box 2174
Ballston Spa, NY 12020
Phone: 518-899-4807
Email: cflood@aol.com
"Caring schools are safe schools."
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