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 This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: boys.
College & Workforce Readiness
Opinion
Are Men Realizing that College Is The New High School?
One could read that into this article in Inside Higher Education documenting a surge in male enrollment in community colleges:
Equity & Diversity
Opinion
Early Reviews for Why Boys Fail
Reviews for Why Boys Fail, which is released this week, come from a reporter at education.com and a book reviewer for an online publication aimed at librarians.
Equity & Diversity
Opinion
Some Welcome Attention for Minority Males, but ...
On January 26 the [College Board Advocacy](http://professionals.collegeboard.com/policy-advocacy/about) and Congressional TriCaucus will sponsor a conference on how to steer more minority males into and through college. Although the press release wisely links that goal to President Obama's goal of boosting college graduation rates, the groups miss something: There's *something in common* about the boy problems, something shared between inner city black and Latino males and their suburban counterparts and that commonality involves literacy skills.
Equity & Diversity
Opinion
#4 on the Top Ten List: Black Males at HBCUs
In her new blog as Public Editor for the National Education Writers Association, [The Educated Reporter](http://www.educatedreporter.com/), Linda Perlstein wrote a Top Ten list of education stories of 2009. (Okay, I'm a little tardy reporting this.). But [this article by AP higher education writer Justin Pope](http://diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_12432.shtml) is worth repeating.
Education
Opinion
Your Blogger Learns a New Word: Misandry
Not part of your daily vocabulary? Nor mine. I guess that's why I'm not an academic. That and the fact I lack a doctorate. So, Wikipedia to the rescue:
Education
Opinion
Two Comments on the New New York Charter Study
(Sorry, I thought this got posted yesterday ... still learning the system here)
Special Education
Opinion
John Merrow's ADHD Piece Reads Like a Thriller
The indefatigable PBS reporter [has an interesting piece here ](http://learningmatters.tv/blog/op-ed/drugging-kids/3662/#more-3662)about Ritalin, conflicts of interest between drug companies and parent groups and much, much more. The piece points out that the United States consumes five times as much ADD medicines as the rest of the planet. And guess who's taking those meds: four times as many boys as girls.
Science
Opinion
This Just In: Girls are Boys' Equals in Math
Okay, for anyone following state test scores over the past several years, you already knew that. But it comes at a good time -- [just when the White House is announcing a $250 million STEM initiative.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/05/AR2010010503981.html?hpid=moreheadlines)
Education
Opinion
When Women are Half the Workforce ...
...What does that mean? Answering that question is the cover story of the Economist this week.
Education
Opinion
Is the Answer to the 'Boy Troubles' Recruiting Male Teachers?
On the surface, that's a logical response, and [this column by Valerie Strauss ](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/race-to-the-top/do-we-need-more-male-teachers.html) in The Washington Post lays out the argument for recruiting more men for the classroom. The decline in educational aspirations among boys seen over the last two decades -- responsible for the fact that nearly 58 percent of bachelor's degrees and 62 percent of associate's degrees now go to women -- coincides with the decline in the number of males teaching.