Gender Equity

The theme of Women’s History Month 2013 is “Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.” Make March a jumping-off point for a year-long effort to invite female students into the world of STEM.

Many boys at my school struggle with reading. Most are more interested in video games and outdoor activities than books. Our school is not an anomaly.

Few of us really ever have to answer the question, “What am I willing to risk my life for.”

Malala Yousafzai, 11, did answer.

This week, another barrier to women’s equality fell. The tony Augusta National Golf Club, home to the Masters Tournament, extended membership to two women, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Carolina financier Darla Moore. Club Chairman Billy Payne declared it “a joyous occasion,” yet I don’t feel the urge to jump for joy.

“I'm just not good at math,” my daughter grumbled under her breath. 

I was surprised. Where did she get that idea, I wondered. As far as I can remember she has loved numbers and was quick to pick up math concepts. However, I began to see her confidence slowly wither and her frustration rise. It started in the 2^nd grade. And, now, she sat at the kitchen table with pencil in hand, ready to give up, convinced she just couldn't do it anymore.

This week reminded us of two pioneering women in aviation. The nation mourned the death of Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. At the same time, many of us celebrated the 115th birthday of Amelia Earhart.

With all the recent news about single-sex classrooms, it would appear that the idea is gaining traction. Not true.

My eighth-grade girls squealed at the shirtless male movie star photos in a magazine. “Oh my gosh! Check out the abs on this one!”

“Yeah,” responded another. “And look at that picture of Taylor Lautner. His face isn’t very good looking, but who cares. Look at those muscles!”

This is a typical exchange in my classroom during lunch or before morning meeting. As a teenager, I remember flipping through fashion and celebrity magazines, looking at female models with long legs, luminous skin and perfect hair. They represented what I was supposed to be. Knowing how far away I was from looking like them definitely made me feel ugly. But the magazines were also telling me what kind of guy I should find attractive. Apparently, not much has changed in teenage popular culture.

This just in: Men make up a small fraction of early childhood and elementary school teachers. And for children younger than 6, having a male teacher is a rarity. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, just 2.3 percent of preschool and kindergarten teachers are men.