School Boys

[astra_nomer]

So, apparently, a student at a New England high school is claiming gender discrimination. The interesting thing is, the student is a boy. A white, middle-class male, suing for discrimination.

Certainly it's true that more women are entering college these days than men. But shouldn't we be saying, "You Go Girl!" instead of "ZOMG!! Save the boys!!!"

I cannot believe that education has changed so dramatically in this country over the last 10 or even 20 years that it's suddenly become biased toward girls. The educational system in this country was originally just for white males. Just 40 years ago, Harvard University did not allow women in some of its libraries. At the same time, the majority of elementary school teachers over the last century or more have been women, and while I won't rant about that issue now, it didn't seem to have hurt the legions of boys who were educated by them and went on to become successful men within the patriarchy.

Yes, it's true that boys have more behavioral issues than girls, and that will affect their educational opportunities. But is this really more of an issue today than in the past? Has boyhood really changed that much?

I recall being one of just a handful of girls in my high school science and math classes. I recall that when my calculus teacher handed out M&Ms to highest achievers in her class, that my candy was sometimes stolen when I turned my back, and at least one student complained that the girls always got the awards, even though we were vastly outnumbered by the boys.

Now I'm the mother of two boys myself. But I expect them to exert self-discipline in school. I expect them to do their best with their studies. I will help find opportunities within the educational system for them to get ahead. I will not tolerate them making excuses for themselves by saying they were discriminated against. If I've managed to succeed against the odds, they can too.

Comments

[astra-nomer.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's very much a part of Asian girl culture, but it's also there in Western culture, just not as obviously. I mean, didn't you also grow up on fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel, where Prince Charming comes to rescue fair maiden with no effort on her part, even if she does need to wait 100 years before he comes? There's also the pressure to not show up all the boys, because then they won't like you.

But I'm just saying it's hard for me to gauge what general American cultural trends are like when I all I see are extreme viewpoints. :)

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

I mean, didn't you also grow up on fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel, where Prince Charming comes to rescue fair maiden with no effort on her part, even if she does need to wait 100 years before he comes?

I do not know how to type on the internet the sound of my drink coming out my nose. (Good thing I wasn't actually drinking anything.)

Um, when she was pregnant with me my mom was a state officer of NOW and marched in pro-ERA rallies in other states. I grew up reading Greek mythology and Nancy Drew stories, and if there was ever any pressure from anyone not to show up the boys, I was blissfully, nerdishly oblivious to it (not only did I have no particular desire to be liked by them, but I was just better than they were, and I enjoyed kicking people's asses, because goodness knows I had nothing better to do).

Which is to say, I think our upbringings in the feminism regard represent pretty much the opposite ends of the spectrum without actually departing from the socially acceptable. But I cannot begin to imagine the upbringing in which girls (intelligent, nerdish ones no less) accepted that, much less in which they grew up to assume everyone was subject to it. Thus the hypothetical drink out my nose.

[(Anonymous)]

ut I cannot begin to imagine the upbringing in which girls (intelligent, nerdish ones no less) accepted that, much less in which they grew up to assume everyone was subject to it.

Trust me, it was very confusing growing up in a culture that valued education and intelligence but also valued modesty and meekness in women.

"Hey dad, I just won a math contest!"

"Good job! Be humble!"

[astra-nomer.livejournal.com]

bah. that was me.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

(Dude, you seriously believed there was a time in my life at which I cared what boys thought of me? But...but I was pretty sure you'd met me... ;)

[astra-nomer.livejournal.com]

You see? You are part of one extreme viewpoint. General American culture falls somewhere between you and my parents. But that's a pretty wide gap!