Reminds me of one day when I was substitute teaching a 4th grade class. They had a debate assigned to research and present, and the topic was ‘should boys and girls be educated together?’ Boys of course started with with the old arguments of ‘Boys need more education because they’re going to be professionals and girls are going to be mothers and wives’, with the girls defending their right to an education.
Then one girl stood to present and said “Actually, I agree that boys and girls should be educated separately. Girls are quieter and more studious than boys. We’re more mature, cause less trouble, and pay attention better. Boys are rowdy and rude, don’t pay attention, don’t study, and just don’t care about learning. Why should girls have to put up with all that disrupting our education?” I just about laughed out loud to see the boys suddenly put on the defensive, having to defend THEIR right to an education.
(I’m aware that neither description describes all boys or all girls, or even a majority, but this was a 4th grade class. I didn’t really expect nuance from them.)
Reminds me of one day when I was substitute teaching a 4th grade class. They had a debate assigned to research and present, and the topic was ‘should boys and girls be educated together?’ Boys of course started with with the old arguments of ‘Boys need more education because they’re going to be professionals and girls are going to be mothers and wives’, with the girls defending their right to an education.
Then one girl stood to present and said “Actually, I agree that boys and girls should be educated separately. Girls are quieter and more studious than boys. We’re more mature, cause less trouble, and pay attention better. Boys are rowdy and rude, don’t pay attention, don’t study, and just don’t care about learning. Why should girls have to put up with all that disrupting our education?” I just about laughed out loud to see the boys suddenly put on the defensive, having to defend THEIR right to an education.
(I’m aware that neither description describes all boys or all girls, or even a majority, but this was a 4th grade class. I didn’t really expect nuance from them.)