Today is the day Ezekiel starts his new school. He is going to attend an all boys Catholic school and he happens to be transferred from an all girls school. Ezekiel is a transgender teen and has to leave his friends, the people who accept him. Ezekiel is on the bus, just minding his own business, when a tall and muscular teen saunters up to him. “What’re you doing on this bus, you’re just a little girl! ” the kid exclaims, his breath fanning over him. Ezekiel stares at the bully in confusion, barely holding back the dam of tears behind his eyes, and just listens as the bully spits out more and more insults.
He thinks about how he hasn’t even arrived at the new school and already is being bullied. Ezekiel goes through the entire day avoiding peoples questioning gaze, especially the bully from the bus. It is the end of the day when Ezekiel realizes that he has to go back to the bus and avoid the terrifying bully, which will be nearly impossible. Ezekiel dashes onto the bus and sits all of the way in front, away from all of the possible bullies. This, in fact, does not work, and Ezekiel hears hundreds of new insults that he never would have imagined. He decides that he would fake sick tomorrow to get away from the bullies.
He decides that he would throw up on purpose to get out of seeing these awful bullies. He decides that he would do anything to get away from the bullies. These problems could be avoided if we didn’t have single gender schools. We shouldn’t have single gender schools because of the teaching benefits, the social aspects of the students and the future of the students. First of all, we should not have single gender schools because of the teaching benefits. When teachers believe boys and girls learn differently, they end up teaching to the stereotype.
According to Meagan Patterson, an associate professor of psychology and research in education at the University of Kansas, single gender schools force stereotypes. Teachers who believe students learn differently will work different teaching styles into their lessons. For example, when assigned a book to read girls end up getting assigned romance, whereas boys are assigned non fiction or adventure. Some girls’ schools have pastel and light colors and boys’ schools have bold colors. Some teachers believe that girls and boys should even learn different subjects.
Girls could be steered away from science, technology, math and engineering fields, while boys receive less focus on the arts,“ Patterson said. Stereotypes are usually forced into teaching beliefs. Secondly, the similarities of the learning of the two separate genders. One might object that the two genders learn differently, so they should be separated. However the problem with that theory is that it actually has not been proven. Neuroscientists actually have stated that the differences between our genders are quite slight and the similarities are greater.
Although no scientist has proven that the two genders learn differently, these beliefs have found their way into current teachings. Finally, diverse classrooms provide a better learning experience. Students sometimes work on a project with a partner and have troubles coming up with ideas for their project. Then, they go look at other student projects and see all of the other beautiful ideas. They learned from all of these students whether if they were a girl or boy. These different perspectives helped other students learn about a certain topic.
Imagine that one know-it-all-kid who had the best project there and had taught someone a new thing about a topic. They wouldn’t have learned that in a single gender school, that student might not have been there. Also, different perspectives bring up new questions and ways to look at a subject. Single gender schools should not be around because of the learning benefits in mixed gender schools. Next, there shouldn’t be single gender schools because of the social aspects of the students. Transgender students sometimes have trouble transitioning, whether a mixed gender school or not it might be tough.
In mixed gender schools, transgender kids have to struggle already. They have to switch bathrooms, which makes people uncomfortable and they have to usually go to therapy. But, they have friends who support them and people who are understanding and go through the same process. In single gender schools the student would have to change schools all together like Ezekiel. Ezekiel also had to deal with bullying because he didn’t have friends to back him up like a lot of other transgender students. Transgender students already have a lot to deal with but in single gender schools it is a lot worse.
Next, the sexuality of the students can cause difficulties. In single gender schools, students may be uncomfortable around a homosexual student. Students in mixed gender schools still may be uncomfortable, but it is easier to deal with because of the varieties of students. Also, many single gender schools are Catholic schools. The students wouldn’t be accepted due to their sexuality and they wouldn’t be accepted by friend and family. Lastly, attending a single gender school doesn’t help with social skills. Yes, there will be people to talk to in school and there will be people willing to develop a friendship.
Kristin Stanberry, a writer for Great schools. com and Schwab learning, specializes in parenting, education and consumer health, says single gender schools would not improve social skills with the opposite gender. Having underdeveloped social skills will be a disadvantage outside of school and in future life. Students may be unable to start a relationship or a friendship. People could also be unable to earn certain jobs. Some jobs require good social skills and the ability to communicate is important, so they could flunk an interview. Having good social skills is an important personal skill.
The social aspects of the students, like sexuality and gender identity, may affect others, so there shouldn’t be single gender schools. Finally, there can not be single gender schools for the future of the students. All students will eventually live and work side by side with the opposite gender, so, why work away from them in school? Those in single gender schools would have a difficult time transitioning into a working environment with the opposite gender. They didn’t have opportunities in school to develop social skills and relationships.
The students also have a limited amount opportunities to work together cooperatively and coexist successfully with the opposite gender. Having the ability to communicate with the opposite gender will be important in the future. Next, boys who are friends with girls tend to be more comfortable around women in the future. If men are more comfortable around girls than they tend to believe more in women’s rights and equality. If we have more men who believe in equal rights for everyone than there could be a lot changes, like changing the wage gap.
According to research by the Institute of Education in London, men who went to single gender schools are not only more likely to get a divorce but, more likely to fall into depression. Women’s marriages were not affected by the school they went to. Men are going to be more likely to fall into depression because of the stress of finding a happy life. It is very clear that single gender schools are a nuisance in the future of boys. Now last but not least, people need to teach our generation how to respect others for the future.
Students should be able to respect everyone now, not after school, now. If teachers try to teach respect later they won’t be able to help the students because they have already developed there ways of communicating and their thoughts on everyone. This actually has a lot to do with single gender schools, although people may not think so. In single gender schools the only people they are taught to respect is their teachers and school staff. They do teach that in our schools, but they also teach to respect other students. There is one substitute teacher who loves to talk about respect.
Most people think their speech is nonsense and unimportant. Their speech actually has a point, students should use respect because it will affect the outcome of our future. Everyone need to respect the opposing gender because it affects our relationships and jobs. Students should not be separated because they won’t be able to get a good future and this generation is the future. Therefore, there should not be single gender schools. Today is just a normal day at school for Ezekiel. He goes to school, talks with all of his friends.
All of these friends he has had since the beginning of his transitioning, he hasn’t had to leave any of them because of his gender. He has good grades and is keeping up with all of his work. His favorite part of the day is the bus ride, it is the time where he can enjoy the outdoors and communicate with friends. Ezekiel is enjoying life and hasn’t had any troubles with his gender. The teachings, the personal reasons of students and the future of the students benefit off of mixed gender schools, that is why we shouldn’t have single gender schools.