Introduction

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Gender inequality in classrooms is a documented problem in the American educational system. The practice of educating boys and girls separately is one attempt to address this inequality. It is a method of reform that raises questions about the academic and social benefits as well as the legality of "separate but equal". Do girls really learn more effectively without boys in the classroom? Do students who attend single-sex schools or classes lose the ability to interact with members of the opposite sex? Is sex segregation permitted by the United States Constitution?

These and other questions are addressed in this section of "A Citizen's Guide to Education Reform." It is an introduction to the issues involved in the debate surrounding single-sex education. This section does not take a stand on single-sex education. Rather, it provides the reader with information about both sides of the topic so that she or he can draw thoughtful conclusions.

In order to better understand the debate surrounding single-sex education, it is necessary to define "gender equity." The achievement of equality requires that one or more people are treated in an identical manner. However, the basic notion of equality is not necessarily applicable to the education process. Because human beings may have different learning styles, identical treatment does not necessarily produce educational equality.

A strict definition of educational equity would include consistent access to a quality learning environment that is identical for all groups at every stage of the educational process. A more liberal definition of educational equity would address differences in learning styles and acknowledge that varied learning environments can produce equal end results. Proponents of single-sex education argue that sex-segregated schooling is more likely to provide educational equality than teaching boys and girls in the same classrooms.

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Government 375: Educational Reform and Ideology