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Not much to comment on since it's not exactly hard and fast facts yet, but if it's true, think of the fodder for Jon Stewart and his colleagues in satire.

"Today the boys will dissect frogs and preserve them in formaldehyde  while the girls fillet steak and serve it in gravy ...."

An ACLU press release:

ACLU Seeks Information on Sex-Segregated Education in Alabama

The American Civil Liberties Union Women’s Rights Project and the ACLU of Alabama have requested records from Birmingham City Schools and the Alabama Department of Education on sex-segregated programs throughout the state. The ACLU is seeking the records in response to information suggesting that the programs serve no legitimate academic purpose, violate federal law and rely on harmful gender stereotypes.

Initial investigations by the ACLU reveal that many programs in the state are based on disputed theories suggesting that boys and girls learn so differently that they need to be educated separately. For example, schools in Bay Minette have separated boys and girls into classes called “Pirates” and “Princesses,” and a program in Foley makes girls learn science through examples related to housework while boys learn through examples related to hunting.

These theories were refuted in a recent article in the journal Science that showed that sex segregation did not contribute to increased academic performance, and in fact harmed students by making these stereotypes more acceptable.

“Supporters of sex-segregation make vague claims that these programs get results, but don’t have the proof to back it up,” said Mie Lewis, staff attorney with the ACLU Women’s Rights Project. “Instead of implementing these gimmicky programs, schools should focus on strategies that work for all students, like increased attention to curriculum, greater parental involvement and smaller class size.”

“There’s no question that our schools deserve greater attention and investment, but resources shouldn’t be wasted programs that simply do not work,” said Olivia Turner, executive director of the ACLU of Alabama. “Quick fixes that violate the law and do a disservice to our kids help nobody.”

The ACLU is challenging other sex-segregated programs based on unfounded stereotypes across the country, and has recently won a significant victory in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. Previous records requests to schools in Alabama have resulted in Lawrence, Mobile, St. Clair, and Chilton County and Dothan City School Systems to discontinue sex-segregation.

About this Blog

My column is neither beat or subject specific, and has ranged from whimsical to hard news. Since I'm primarily an education reporter and a native of the Hazleton area, those often draw my focus.

About the Author

A West Hazleton native, I worked as a service technician repairing electronic mailing and shipping systems, a bike shop owner and an Emergency Medical Technician (among other jobs) before landing a reporter job at the Times Leader Hazleton Bureau in 1995. I started by covering primarily politics in Hazleton City and outlying municipalities, eventually became "social issues" team leader in the Wilkes-Barre office with the accent on education, and headed the Hazleton Bureau for a spell before returning to full-time reporting, my preferred position. I'm an avid cyclist and rode across the country in 1990, a trip of more than 5,000 miles from New Jersey to Seattle and down the coast to San Francisco. Years in the Boy Scouts made me a life long backpacker and camper, and I've yet to find a better way to enjoy the quiet lure of winter snow than cross country skiing.

Mark also writes a regular blog for timesleader.com.

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