Consider that there are many gender misconceptions in education.

For example, some people believe that boys are more suited for and
more interested in math and science. Think about other stereotypes
that exist related to gender.

Other stereotypes are: girls are more verbal. Boys create trouble in class,
and aren’t interested in school. Girls are illogical thinkers compared with
boys. Students learn best from teachers of the same gender as themselves.
Schools have gone too far in their attempt to be ‘politically correct’ and are
now actually hurting boys by being too ‘girl-centered’. Girls are delicate and
need to be coddled, helped, or supported more. Boys don’t like girls who are
too smart. Boys who achieve well academically are ‘sissies’.

http://www.campbell-kibler.com/Stereo.pdf

How do these stereotypes and misconceptions impact education in

the United States?

It’s still the case that teachers, left to their own devices, will call on boys in
class more than girls. Teachers who believe that boys will make trouble in
class may “keep them in line” by calling on them more often, which leaves
girls out.

Teachers tend to leave boys to work problems out on their own, while
offering girls more help and support, sometimes even giving the answers.
This detracts from girls’ learning.

Girls are underrepresented in high level math and science classes, and in
science and engineering departments in universities, and then as teachers,
professors, and advocates for women in science. The cycle then repeats
itself.

http://www.ascb.org/files/0908wicb.pdf

http://cse.stanford.edu/classes/cs201/Projects/gender-gap-in-
education/page1.htm

This article is about performance on AP tests. It tells me that the educational

system has successfully made boys outperform girls in every area except
foreign language. These tests do NOT test innate ability, but are the product
of the educational system.
http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=189401733
What are your beliefs regarding ability differences between males
and females in general and in education?

Males are physically stronger. Girls cannot compete directly with boys in
many kinds of physical or sporting competitions due to different body
makeups. Girls have more aptitude for social interaction and communication,
both due to nurture and possibly a biological predisposition for building
relationships. Similarly, boys may be more competitive and aggressive due
to higher testosterone levels.

As a group, girls and boys do not have different aptitude for math and
science for biological reasons.

There is some evidence that boys are better at spatial relationships than
girls.

Regardless of generalizations that can be made about “typical” boys and

girls – in education, each child should have a chance to develop multiple
different strengths. Starting from the assumption that each child has all
capabilities allows educators to help the child develop.
Practically speaking, the skills that boys are assumed to be better at (math,
science & business) are NOT equivalent to the skills that girls are assumed to
be better at (dance, writing, art). Because our society values and rewards
traditionally ‘male’ skills more, it is more important to encourage girls in
math and science than to encourage boys in dance and art.

What evidence can you present to validate your viewpoint?

http://www.child-psych.org/2009/06/boys-girls-science-sex-intellectual-
differences.html
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/09/05/boys-and-girls-not-as-
different-as-we-thought/
http://www.usnews.com/articles/science/2008/07/28/study-shows-boys-and-
girls-equal-in-math-ability.html

On spatial rotation (one gender difference that’s been shown consistently):

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/38892/title/Baby_boys_may_sho
w_spatial_supremacy

Also consider the existing laws that are meant to guarantee equal
treatment in education for girls and boys.
Title IX is the main law that focuses on treatment of the genders in
education. However, it mostly has been implemented in sports (giving equal
amounts of funding to male and female sports). While this is important, the
educational component has been largely neglected. Lawmakers have
addressed the question of ACCESS to equal opportunity, but they have not
addressed the more dangerous problems of long-term, subtle unequal
treatment that leads to girls not succeeding in math and science in
particular.