School Sexism Essay

1301 Words3 Pages

Sexism is one of those topics that get blood boiling, makes tempers soar, and sends men and women alike on rants. Sexism in school can be an even touchier subject. Nonetheless, it is a subject that needs to be talked about and addressed. School counselors have a duty to address the sexism – both deliberate and unintentional – that appears in the school system. This sexism most obviously manifests through sexual harassment. However it can also appear unintentionally in school policies, such as dress codes, as well as in teaching styles. School counselors are in a unique position to be the ones to address this issue, through their work with students and faculty alike.
Types of Gender Discrimination in Schools
80 percent of school aged girls …show more content…

While teachers may not intend to marginalize girls, they often unconsciously give male students more frequent and focused attention. Not only does this extra attention lead to improved academic performance, but it can also influence girls to be more passive and quiet as their schooling goes on (Sadker, 1999). This extra attention is most often done through non-verbal behaviour. As these behaviours are under less conscious control, they are thus subject to less self-monitoring and accountability (LaFrance, 1985). The most common of these unconscious behaviours is not calling on girls to answer questions (Sadker & Sadker, 1994). While this cannot be entirely blamed on the teachers – boys are often more visible when the put up their hands by holding them higher and vocalizing “Me! Me!” whereas girls tend to hold their arms bent at the elbow and be quiet – it is important to be aware of this unintentional bias and the effect it can have on female students. Teachers also tend to offer male students more encouragement than female students. They give them more positive feedback and make more helpful slips, which involve providing information to the answer in the question (LaFrance, 1985). There are also many types of subtle gender discrimination built into the curriculum. When analyzing lesson plans, women are rarely represented in powerful roles …show more content…

It is often treated as another form of bullying (Sadker, 1999). While this is a good policy, too often the concerns of female students are written off as them being overdramatic or not understanding boys (Hand & Sanchez, 2000). This allows the hostile environment to continue, something that is a clear violation of Title IX (Stone, 2015). After a study into the issue of sexual harassment in schools (van der Zande, 2008), the America Association of University Women developed a resource guide to train students and staff alike in how to prevent and appropriately address sexual harassment. This program addresses the seriousness of the behaviour and empowers students to stand up for themselves and report sexual harassment. It also provides training information for staff on how to recognize sexual harassment among students and how to approach discipline and education of students. Both these components are necessary to fully address the problem of sexual harassment in

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