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Georgia school district goes to single-sex classrooms
Filed under: Day Care & Education
Greene County, Georgia is a small, working class community with a big problem. Teen pregnancies, soaring dropout rates and poor test scores have frustrated school administrators for years and they are now fighting back with desperate measures. Unless someone stops them, the county is set to become the first district in the nation to offer only single-sex classrooms for public school students. From kindergarten to high school, the education board has voted to separate the boys from the girls. Only preschool classrooms and one charter school will be exempt from this change.
"At the rate we're moving, we're never going to catch up," Superintendent Shawn McCollough told parents last week. "If we're going to take some steps, let's take some big steps."
The most obvious problem with this 'big step' is that according to some, it is illegal. Federal law allows single-sex classrooms in public schools, but only if parents have a choice. In other words, there must be coeducation classrooms available for parents who don't wish to separate the sexes. Because the entire district is going single-sex, parents in this district will have no choice.
Samara Yudof, spokeswoman for the U.S. Education Department, says officials "do not have sufficient facts to determine if the district would be in compliance" with federal law.
Some parents in the district are upset about the change, while others think it is a good idea. Which brings us back to the original point. If given a choice, some would choose to enroll their children in single-sex classrooms while others would not. Unfortunately, these parents and students aren't being given a choice.
"At the rate we're moving, we're never going to catch up," Superintendent Shawn McCollough told parents last week. "If we're going to take some steps, let's take some big steps."
The most obvious problem with this 'big step' is that according to some, it is illegal. Federal law allows single-sex classrooms in public schools, but only if parents have a choice. In other words, there must be coeducation classrooms available for parents who don't wish to separate the sexes. Because the entire district is going single-sex, parents in this district will have no choice.
Samara Yudof, spokeswoman for the U.S. Education Department, says officials "do not have sufficient facts to determine if the district would be in compliance" with federal law.
Some parents in the district are upset about the change, while others think it is a good idea. Which brings us back to the original point. If given a choice, some would choose to enroll their children in single-sex classrooms while others would not. Unfortunately, these parents and students aren't being given a choice.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
2-27-2008 @ 3:49PM
Momma said...I'd support it 100%. But not for the same reason. Boys & girls learn so different. Ever seen Raising Cain? Boys need space to learn. There would be less social pressure too.
Reply
2-27-2008 @ 5:10PM
isisaquaria said...This can not legally be done in a public school. It is a form of segregation. The ACLU will be all over this one--
I understand why, but unless they are getting pregnant at school--it is kinda pointless.
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2-27-2008 @ 6:07PM
Karen said...Every study I've ever seen say sit is beneficial for girls and boys to be in single sex classrooms. Even if there are studies that say otherwise, I say the school should have the right to decide. And while the kids aren't having sex in school (we hope) if the kids are more successful in school, there may be less inclination to have babies at a young age. Often you only have to foster an attitude of hope to make children succeed.
Parents do not have a say in how the classes are divided normally, why should they have a say when it comes to single sex classrooms?
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