Gender Bias in schools

  

In today's society would you say there are gender biases? In my opinion indeed there are, whether people want to believe it or not. Gender bias in education is a risky problem that causes very few people to stand up and take notice. Students of the gender biases have been taught through years of schooling to not speak up and to be submissive when the biases occur. They then are reluctant to stand up and say something about how unfair their treatment is that they are receiving by the teachers.
In our text book it does state that during the elementary years both genders are equal, however by the time they reach middle school that seems to change. Girls are doing better on reading and writing tests whereas the boys are doing better in math and also doing better on their self-esteem. This of course could possibly be due to discriminatory treatment because of someone’s gender. Having the socialization of gender in schools assures that the girls are made aware that they are not equal to the boys in the school. According to Woodward boys are 12 times more likely than girls to talk in class and five times more likely to get the teacher's attention. Why is that? They say it is due to the girls having a low self-esteem.

 

Even with these bias that boys are called on more and the teachers give more praise to the boys when answering questions girls stay in school longer, cut classes less than boys, and on average earn better grades than boys.  Even though boys usually do better on the math and science tests, the girls score higher than the boys on reading and writing tests. The girls also take more academic classes than boys do and the girls are more likely to graduate high school and attend college.

According to a mother her daughter (who is in Middle School) was sent home for her shorts being only 1/2 an inch too short, but the boys are allowed to look like slobs with their underwear showing and a girl will be sent home for just 1/2 an inch too short? How is that fair? Boys seem to get away with a lot in terms of what they are wearing to school. Girls on the other hand if your bra strap just happens to show or in the woman’s daughters case her shorts being a tad too short is ridiculous. 
Gender biases are not just for girls, boys also are being affected in a negative way with these biases. According to the text, teachers believe that boys are more active, less attentive, less dexterous, and more prone to have behavioral, academic, and language problems than the girls are. Also, boys more than girls, are identified with learning disabilities and mental retardation. Gender bias should be prevented, although it seems as though it would be a tough task to do. How can teachers realize the gender biases and try to prevent them from happening in their classrooms?   



http://www.momlogic.com/2009/06/gender_bias_in_middle_school_charles_orlando.php
http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers/genderbias.html
http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/gender-bias-in-education