* They [girls] now take more Advanced Placement tests than boys
* Males ... not only receive lower grades, but they are more likely to be
grade repeaters.
* Girls are more likely to take biology and chemistry as well as
trigonometry and algebra II. However, boys still dominate physics,
calculus, and more advanced courses, and are more likely to take all three
core science courses.
* Males have a higher high school dropout rate than females (13% to 10%),
and lag behind females in extracurricular participation, including school
government, literary activities and the performing arts.
* Men are the minority (44%) of students enrolled in both undergraduate
and graduate institutions and, as a group lag behind women in degree
attainment at the associate (39%), bachelor (44%) and masters (44%) levels.
* boys constitute 71% of school suspensions.
* Males account for two-thirds of all students served in special
education. The disproportionate representation of males in special
education is greatest in the categories of emotional disturbance (78%
male), learning disability (68% male), and mental retardation (58% male).
* males perform significantly below females in writing and reading
achievement.
And these statistics are from a report that seems primarily to be concerned
about girls. (In all fairness, there are also a wide variety of stats that
show where females come up short.) Perhaps it is time to start thinking
about how to save the boys and give them an education equal to what the
girls are getting.
Just a little food for thought...
Tim Folkerts.
Department of Physics
Fort Hays State University
Hays, KS 67601
785-628-4501