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One emerging public school issue is single-sex schools.

In a rational world it would not be an issue since such institutions have existed for generations among both colleges and k-12 independent schools.  But the world of public schools is not a rational one.  Rather, it is a world of special interests and power blocs.  As long ago as March 19, 1921, in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, G.K Chesterton was quoted as saying ""State ownership means trusting the politicians."

There were only three single-sex schools in 1995 and the total has increased to 51 this year, plus 190 schools that incorporate single-sex classrooms.  With more than 100,000 public schools in the nation, 99.95% of all public schools will continue to be co-ed . Or, to put it another way, with more than 14,000 school districts in the nation, even if all 51 single-sex schools were in separate districts, 99.6% of all school districts will still 100% co-educational.

But that's too many for those whose ideology and political correctness trumps toleration of variations from the norm, even where there is a great need for options and some promise that they might succeed.

What brings this about is the audacity of the U.S. Department of Education which last week said it was modifying Title IX provisions to permit some modest development of single-sex options for parents and students who may want them.  These changes don't take effect until November 24th but already the attacks upon them are underway.

Critics include the American Association of University Women, the National Organization for Women, the American Civil Liberties Union and more localized groups such as the Women's Law Project in Philadelphia.

A NOW spokeswoman says these schools risk creating second-class citizens, ignoring that this is what many inner-city schools do, and have done for generations.   Lisa Maatz, of the AAUW, argues that schools  should concentrate on approaches that research has shown will improve education.  But she ignores existing evidence that single-sex schools show promise.  Even if research on single-sex schools were lacking, shouldn't a few such schools be established to provide some research evidence?

Educators involved in single-sex schools, who have experience the critics lack,  say that some inner-city minority students perform better in separate settings. For example, Alisha N. Kiner, principal of Booker T. Washington High in Memphis has said discipline problems among 9th graders there have fallen by 60 percent.   Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has concluded that, "Some students may learn better in single-sex education environments.

But, of course, AAUW-, ACLU-, and NOW-types wouldn't have any first-hand knowledge of inner-city schools with largely minority enrollments.  Nor would they ever permit their children to be exposed to such conditions.

Note, also, that these are advocacy groups with particular interests and political agendas.  While, like all citizens, they have a right to their own education views, they have no particular expertise in this area and have no right to impose their beliefs on others.  These groups consistently oppose any proposal that has public schools offering  options to low-income families who can't afford them on their own, such as vouchers, tuition tax credits and charter schools.

Those who can afford it, whether by paying tuition at independent schools or, more commonly, being able to afford to live in a school district more to their liking, may do so without a whisper of concern from leaders of the above groups.  Of course not.  After all, that's where they send their own children.

One argument is that single-sex schools will "roll back the clock" on civil rights protections, and result in another form of harmful segregation.  But there are many distinctions between single-sex schools and the shameful racial segregation mandated by law in many states in the past.

First, this is not a mandate, it's voluntary.  Second, it isn't statewide, or even districtwide.  The new regulations permit such arrangements only in specific classes, grades or schools.  They also must demonstrate they are meeting an educational need and districts must provide "substantially equal" opportunities for both genders.  And districts must evaluate their single-sex classes every two years to ensure their compliance with Title IX law.

But, when your mind is made up, why be confused by facts?

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"...of all professions, teaching is the most hostile to nonconformists or agitators." p. 144, Elaine Kendall, Peculiar Institutions, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1975, 1976

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Copyright 2006 David W. Kirkpatrick
108 Highland Court,
Douglassville, Pennsylvania 19518-9240
Phone: (610) 689-0633