That the right of women to be educated to their full potential equally with men... eliminating all discrimination and segregation by sex, written and unwritten, at all levels of education...

If I'm reading this correctly, it calls for any schools specifically "for boys" or "for girls" to go co-ed.

My question, I suppose, is forcing a co-ed environment really going to help the cause of educating women to their "full potential"?

When I was younger, I was firmly against the idea of gender segregated schools. Then I learned that my cousin decided to go to an all-girls high school after not liking the environment of her co-ed middle school. When I asked her and my aunt about it, I was told that my cousin felt that in an all girl environment she didn't have to be afraid of compromising her learning because she was focused on impressing the boys, or being passed over in favour of them, or needing to compare herself to them - she could simply learn. She graduated with high marks and is currently enrolled in an engineering program at university. If memory serves, the school she went to prided themselves on encouraging women to go into the sciences and subsequently had many graduates entering the science fields. Which is another reason why she chose it - she liked the sciences and wanted to have a good education in them.

I think, in her case at least, having a gender segregated school helped her to reach a higher potential than she would have in a co-ed school. I know that the schools, like any institution, have their share of problems. However, I'm not sure that the solution is to simply get rid of these institutions, especially before we make an effort to really examine the pros and cons and see what can be done about the latter.
tekanji | Homepage | 05.26.05 - 3:15 pm | #

Agreed. The 1960s's NOW bill of rights was written in an era in which it was common for schools to exclude women altogether, or to accept only a limited number of women.

Historically, quotas have been just fine and dandy in this country as long as they don't apply to white males.

Women-only universities came about for the same reason Black only universities did. Just because women and/or Blacks can now attend the historically white male schools does not mean the historical places of refuge are no longer needed as a source of strength for those who have a history of being oppressed.
egalia | Homepage | 06.05.05 - 1:08 am | #

should have said 'as long as they don't negatively impact white males.'
egalia | Homepage | 06.05.05 - 1:58 am | #