Equity & Diversity Blog

Why Boys Fail

This blog was written by Richard Whitmire, a former editorial writer at USA Today and past board president of the National Education Writers Association, and a frequent opinion commentator on national education issues. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: boys.

Science Opinion Interesting Gender Numbers on NAEP
Boys are doing well in math and science, even better than girls who take the same courses and earn higher grades. But they aren't enrolling in college, and then persisting to earn degrees, at the same rate as women. From Education Week.
Richard Whitmire, April 13, 2011
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1 min read
Equity & Diversity Opinion The Good News Stories about Black Boys
Interesting column out of Oakland. Would be nice to learn more about that school.
Richard Whitmire, April 13, 2011
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1 min read
Science Opinion More Science, Less Sports
Famed technologist Vinton Cerf lays out the problems he sees in our K-12 schools. Simply put, the culture is askew. And it can't help that we doing such a poor job educating young men -- those most likely to pursue science as a career. An increasing number of women are stepping up here, but the forward progress is too slow.
Richard Whitmire, April 12, 2011
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1 min read
Education Opinion Today is Equal Pay Day
I have a confession: I really dislike the debate over whether women are discriminated against in pay. It has nothing to do with the boy troubles, and yet it is always cited when the boy troubles are raised. Which is why I am forced to keep the blog's library stocked with debates on the issue. This from the WSJ, which -- naturally -- takes the counter view on discrimination.
Richard Whitmire, April 12, 2011
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1 min read
Teaching Profession Opinion DOE Solution: More Black Male Teachers
That's a good cause to be taken up by Education Secretary Arne Duncan, especially considering that only two percent of the nation's teacher are black males.
Richard Whitmire, April 12, 2011
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1 min read
Equity & Diversity Opinion Cincinnati Task Force on Black Males
From the article:
Richard Whitmire, April 12, 2011
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1 min read
College & Workforce Readiness Opinion Is College Worth It, Despite the Debt?
An interesting addition to the debate over how many young people need a college degree of some type. In short, like it not, college has become the new high school.
Richard Whitmire, April 11, 2011
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1 min read
College & Workforce Readiness Opinion Mark Perry on the Numbers
There's always a new and interesting way of describing the college gender gap, and Mark Perry found one.
Richard Whitmire, April 11, 2011
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1 min read
Reading & Literacy Opinion Another Warning on Reading Lapses
More research showing the problems that arise if students aren't readers by third grade.
Richard Whitmire, April 11, 2011
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1 min read
School Choice & Charters Opinion 'Never Mind' on KIPP losing Black Boys
Research from Mathematica -- an organization known to turn out reliable numbers -- contradicts a Western Michigan University study released last month which found the charter schools were losing black males at a high rate.
Richard Whitmire, April 11, 2011
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1 min read
College & Workforce Readiness Opinion Q & A with Gail Heriot
University of San Diego law professor Gail Heriot, as a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, persuaded the commission to undertake an investigation of college admissions bias favoring men. And she fought to keep the investigation alive when investigators argued to abandon the probe, saying they were dealing with apples and oranges data.
Richard Whitmire, April 11, 2011
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6 min read
Equity & Diversity Opinion The Realities of Urban Education
This Sunday Times Magazine piece about South Bronx middle school principal Ramon Gonzalez is a must-read. What stands out to me are the KIPP-like teaching techniques.
Richard Whitmire, April 10, 2011
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1 min read
College & Workforce Readiness Opinion College Enrollment Gap: Over 10 points
College enrollment data for 2010 high school graduates: 74 percent of females, 62.8 percent of men.
Richard Whitmire, April 10, 2011
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1 min read
Education Funding Opinion Fifth of Working-Age Males Not Working
Interesting analysis in the New York Times about the role played by the federal disability program. I think he's right.
Richard Whitmire, April 9, 2011
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1 min read
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