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A study from the American Association of University Women says that boys are not in crisis - that a student's success is tied to family income -
and that Black, Latino, and low-income students are at risk. Now why is that?
First I would like to know how the specifics of family income are connected to school success. Is it that the family can afford tutoring? Is it that the more family income, the better the neighborhood they live in and the more community funds invested in their local school?
Does more money mean that smarter students get to go to camp every summer? What about the very affluent students get to go for a whole six weeks? (isn't the price of this in the thousands)
Just ask around at any elite college - how many of the students have traveled to Europe? How many took music lessons, how many went to the Smithsonian before they were 10? How many have a quiet, comfortable space to do their homework? How many of their elementary, middle and high schools had their own libraries? or gyms? What is the teacher turnover at their schools?
Yes, it relates to money. Next time someone says that Latino, Black and poor students are at risk, be sure to take the time to explain why they are at risk. Be clear that it is not their supposed limited abilities - make sure everyone knows that it is our society that rewards those with money - which easily transfers into having a large number of high performing students...
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No Crisis For Boys In Schools, Study Says
Academic Success Linked to Income
Tuesday, May 20, 2008; Page A01
A new study to be released today on gender equity in education concludes that a "boys crisis" in U.S. schools is a myth and that both sexes have stayed the same or improved on standardized tests in the past decade.
The report by the nonprofit American Association of University Women, which promotes education and equity for women, reviewed nearly 40 years of data on achievement from fourth grade to college and for the first time analyzed gender differences within economic and ethnic categories.
The most important conclusion of "Where the Girls Are: The Facts About Gender Equity in Education" is that academic success is more closely associated with family income than with gender, its authors said.
"A lot of people think it is the boys that need the help," co-author Christianne Corbett said. "The point of the report is to highlight the fact that that is not exclusively true. There is no crisis with boys. If there is a crisis, it is with African American and Hispanic students and low-income students, girls and boys..."
for complete WP article click here
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