On Tue, 10 Mar 1998 owner-edequity@tristram.edc.org wrote:
> I have two questions for Barbara Tavares to consider re: the GEMS conference
> for girls:
>
> 1) Check the section of Title IX that talks about "significant assistance." I
> always told schools that they could not pass on information about an activity
> that excluded one sex, even if the activity was not sponsored by the school,
> because it would give significant assistance to a discriminatory activity.
> Would the assistance of the Dept of Ed fit this profile?
>
OFF HAND, I WOULD SAY YES, AS THIS INFORMATION DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE
SCHOOLS IS THE PRIMARY MEANS OF RECRUITMENT.
> 2) What if a boy or boys wanted to attend the GEMS conference? Would they be
> turned away?
AS THINGS STAND NOW, BOYS WOULD BE TURNED AWAY.
Why?
THAT'S HOW THE ACTIVITY HAS BEEN STRUCTURED, WITH THE PRIMARY PURPOSE
BEING TO INFORM AND DEVELOP INTEREST IN HIGH WAGE, HIGH TECH OCCUPATIONS
BEFORE GIRLS PASS THROUGH THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL STAGE WHERE MANY REJECT
MATH/SCIENCE STUDIES AS UNFEMMININE OR NERDY.
Why not allow the few boys who want to come do so?
MY GUESS IS THAT WITH THE LEVEL OF INTEREST LIKELY TO BE SHOWN BY BOYS,
THIS WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE A BIG DEAL.
When
> you turn them away, you are clearly discriminating, unless you have a clear
> evaluation that there has been specific, disparate treatment of the girls in
> each of their schools that has led to their being denied an opportunity. Then
> you are taking affirmative steps to rectify past discrimination. We all know
> about how girls are treated differently in classes, but my understanding from
> U.S. Dept of Ed conferences over the years is that anything separate has to
> really be defended and supported with specific evidence to justify
> separateness.
THE OBJECTIVE IS NOT TO DISCRIMMINATE AGAINST BOYS, BUT TO MAKE UP FOR THE
LACK OF ROLE MODELS, MINIMAL FAMILY AND SCHOOL ENCOURAGEMENT, AND
EDUCATIONAL BIAS THAT GIRLS MUST OVERCOME TO SELECT A MATH/SCIENCE
OCCUPATION.
HISTORICALLY, BOY SCOUTS, BOYS CLUBS, BOYS ATHLETIC TEAMS, AND OTHER
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE HAD A LONG AND VARIED RECORD OF SUCH
ACTIVITIES THAT TARGET BOYS. MORE RECENTLY GIRLS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE
MIX IN SPORTS, BUT THE MALE TRADITION IS PRETTY STRONG.
IT IS THIS RECORD THAT AAUW IS TRYING TO CORRECT.
ALL THAT BEING SAID, NO ONE WANTS TO GET INTO THE PROBLEMS A TITLE IX CASE
WOULD PRESENT. I WILL TAKE YOUR SUGGESTIONS TO AAUW, MELISSA, AND ANY
OTHERS THE LIST SERVE CARES TO OFFER.
MANY THANKS
>
> What do others think about these points; am I off base?
> Melissa Keyes <Equitymk@aol.com>
Barbara J Tavares <btavares@hawaii.edu>