The American Association of University Women (AAUW) has just released a
124-page monograph which purports to provide "the facts about gender equity"
in the United States today. The main message of the report is that anything
you have heard about the "boys' crisis" is silliness. Boys today are doing
great, better than ever!
USA Today published a lead editorial in response: the USA Today piece makes
a simple point, namely that the AAUW is out of touch with reality. In every
demographic group, the average boy is doing less well than the average girl,
and that gender gap is growing. You can read the USA Today piece at this
link: http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/05/our-view-on-gen.html.
I have a different take on the AAUW report. My first reaction was that the
AAUW report shortchanged (what ought to be) their primary constituency,
namely girls and young women, in neglecting the growing gender gaps which
disadvantage girls. I have written a piece from that angle and sent it to
Education Week. EW editorial staff have indicated their interest in my
piece and I will let you know if it gets published.
Leonard Sax (Executive Director, NASSPE)
