Single-Sex Public Schools Story aired: Wednesday, October 11, 2006
If girls and boys learn differently, then should they be taught in separate classrooms?
The simple answer is yes. But the growing debate surrounding single-sex schools proves the issue is much more complex.
One obstacle for public schools wanting to provide single-gender learning environments is the law. About 250 public schools that separate students based on gender could face lawsuits under a 1972 Title Nine law that bans sex discrimination in federally funded programs. The U.S. Department of Education is preparing to amend regulations to protect public schools from such lawsuits. Even if the law's provisions are dismissed, the argument still remains: do children learn better with students of their own gender?
Guests:
Dr. Rosalind Barnett of Brandeis University
Dr. Leonard Sax of the National Center for Single Sex Public Education
