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 This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: boys.

Equity & Diversity Opinion The Oregon Story
Oregon may offer some lessons for other rural areas where educators are trying to boost the college-going rate.
Richard Whitmire, March 29, 2011
1 min read
Education Opinion China: Operational Sex Ratio in Action
Want to study the impact of a government birth policy that has produced 37 million more men than women? Try China. An interesting new website, All Girls Allowed, has gathered the data on the impact.
Richard Whitmire, March 29, 2011
1 min read
Equity & Diversity Opinion And Where Are the Sons of Plumbers?
Paucity of low-income students at elite colleges profiled at the Chronicle. (password protested). Truth is, those colleges are better at attracting low-income minorities than they are drawing in sons and daughters of the working class.
Richard Whitmire, March 28, 2011
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College & Workforce Readiness Opinion How Important is Education?
Richard Whitmire, March 25, 2011
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Education Opinion 'Becoming a Man' in Chicago
Richard Whitmire, March 23, 2011
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Student Well-Being & Movement Opinion Finally, the Feds Push for Gender Equity
About time, right? With boys graduating from high school at far lower rates, drawing most of the suspension/expulsion actions, earning lower GPA's, and wandering through life doped up on ADHD medicine, its about time the federal government stepped in to help out.
Richard Whitmire, March 22, 2011
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Equity & Diversity Opinion Working Class White Boys ... Again
Why is this issue only written about abroad? The gaps are just as stark in this country.
Richard Whitmire, March 22, 2011
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School Choice & Charters Opinion The Brain-Based Debate....Again
Richard Whitmire, March 22, 2011
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Early Childhood Opinion Preschool the Answer to Illiteracy?
Richard Whitmire, March 22, 2011
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Science Opinion The Push for Female Professors at MIT
Good story in the Times about boosting the number of women there. Good lessons for other universities, keeping in mind that universities such as MIT can skim off the top.
Richard Whitmire, March 21, 2011
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Reading & Literacy Opinion Jack Jennings Lays It All Out
The president and CEO of the Center on Education Policy says it all here. If we don't boost reading and writing skills of boys, we're looking at serious economic consequences.
Richard Whitmire, March 18, 2011
1 min read
School Choice & Charters Opinion Another News Flash: New Group to Promote Co-Ed Education
Check out the American Council on CoEducational Schooling, where you'll find the latest arguments on why you should keep your child in a co-ed school setting. The director of communications is Lise Eliot, author of Pink Brain, Blue Brain, someone who frequently clashes with Leonard Sax from the National Association for Single Sex Public Education.
Richard Whitmire, March 18, 2011
1 min read
College & Workforce Readiness Opinion The Muddled Politics of Male Gender Preferences
As Richard Kahlenberg points out in the Chronicle, the issue of colleges reaching deeper into their applicant pools to draw in male candidates muddies the political waters. The groups you would expect to complain the loudest about discrimination against women -- national feminist groups and the American Association of University Women -- are mute.
Richard Whitmire, March 18, 2011
1 min read