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Should Public Schools Offer Single-Sex Classrooms?

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    National Association for Single Sex Public Education’s Dr. Leonard Sax and American Council for Coeducational Schooling’s Lise Eliot debate whethe...

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Battle of the sexes a growing number of public schools across the country are -- -- the boys and girls in the classrooms.

Mainly because boys and girls learn at different rates girls are faster.

But isn't worth splitting up the genders let's ask doctor Leonard sax -- the national association for single sex public education and doctor -- Elliot of the American council for -- education schooling.

Doctor -- let's start with you first what do you say about this is it harmful or is it beneficial for students to be separated.

Well I think it's harmful it's not naturally grow up -- and families.

We're gonna co parent as adults were hopefully gonna run corporations and work together in the workplace and so we think boys and girls really need to learn this important life -- in the classroom in a supervised.

Purposeful environment where teachers are keeping -- watch over any sexism are inappropriate behavior -- the -- -- is really the perfect environment.

Four boys and girls to interact and learn together and we also now are at boys in particular do better in co education.

-- -- doctor Leonard -- do you agree and are there are times that you might want to separate out the sexes and school.

Does it make sense at.

-- -- and doctor Elliott said quite mistaken.

It's not the case situation better and -- schools.

Some boys are better because schools in other ways to better and -- schools were not suggesting that all -- should be in -- -- school.

We're suggesting that more parents should have a choice you know I'm here in Philadelphia.

In Minneapolis Seattle.

If you want your son to go to -- school.

You got lots of choices provided that you've got 20000 dollars a year to pay for private school.

Well we're saying is if you believe that your son might do better -- -- school yard to have that choice available to you.

Even if you don't have 20000 here we're not saying every boy should be in a boys school.

We're seeing more parents should have the choice to decide for themselves.

What is best for their son or their daughter.

Well you should check points actually -- it -- look at some numbers here it.

The US rankings in education are not impressive there is nothing here to brag about -- fifteenth in reading.

Seventeenth in science 31 and math should we experiment a little bed and maybe separate out the -- us Airways -- -- I'm all for experimentation but let's stick with things that are proven to work.

And single sex education is something it has actually been proven not to make any difference academically.

There's a myth out there that single sex -- better and the reason is because.

There are these very expensive.

Schools single sex schools were students do great but that it's been a Darwinian selection the bad single sex schools all went -- -- a long time ago.

So it it looks like single sex schools are better but that's only because these very privileged schools that attract very high performing students put a lot of money into them.

Can turn out good product when you compare those students to students in.

Equally excellent co educational schools there's actually no difference in researchers have looked at this around the world in the US UK Australia.

Actually doctor -- though the trend has been towards more and more splitting up of the sexes.

Some 500 public schools nationwide offer all boy all girl class and to what -- cannot private schools you're talking public schools don't really need to get.

Out of hurt a doctor -- needs to get out of her Ivy -- tower.

And come to see some of these schools should -- become with meat itself Houston and visit provisioned this is a -- Public school.

We're these boys have turned around.

And right now young and his teachers and these -- parents we'll tell you this school has saved.

Their lives -- poison color.

Low income neighborhoods.

Needs some options it's not for doctor -- to tell these parents and teachers what options they should -- -- when he SA parents choose.

Let's say that you know.

If we -- to say you know blacks and Hispanics.

We'll learn differently therefore we should send them to different schools.

People would be outraged we live in a diverse society students need to learn to get along with diverse other students.

And if -- to compare that school in south Houston to an equally excellent charter school like the -- -- young school in Milwaukee.

That is co educational and has a similar demographic you would find similar results so it's not.

The -- isolation that produces excellent outcome it's all the other resources that go into and mentoring that goes into these since Saddam.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- this -- knows better.

Doctor -- it's telling us she knows better than mr.

young and the parents and the teachers.

Very content play with all her weight question makes a difference -- -- it's never -- to -- school and she says she knows better than they do.

Why disclose.

Stressful RI RA doctor Saxon Elliott thanks for helping us out tonight.

Really appreciate your time yet both articulate and very coherent -- -- we appreciate both --