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 This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: boys.

Education Opinion Japan's Answer to the "Skills Gap"
This is worthy of imitation in the United States, and not just for boys. It would give students a clear career goal before finishing high school.
Richard Whitmire, October 15, 2011
1 min read
Equity & Diversity Opinion Males and Masculinities in Minority Communities
Note: This is a guest post by John Michael Lee Jr., PhD., policy director for the Advocacy and Policy Center in the Advocacy, Government Relations and Development unit at the College Board.
Richard Whitmire, October 14, 2011
3 min read
School Choice & Charters Opinion Single Sex School Debate Back in the News
Update: Single sex dealt a legal setback in Louisiana.
Richard Whitmire, October 13, 2011
1 min read
Equity & Diversity Opinion Young Men of Color: A National Crisis
Note: This is a guest post by John Lee, policy director for the Advocacy and Policy Center in the Advocacy, Government Relations and Development unit at the College Board.
Richard Whitmire, October 12, 2011
14 min read
Federal Opinion Notice to Blog Readers: Guest Bloggers Ahead
I've launched into a new book with a tight deadline (You might have thought I'd avoid that, given that the Michelle Rhee book, The Bee Eater, turned into a crash production after Mayor Fenty lost his bid for another term .... but no). To free up time for book research and writing I have invited several guest bloggers to step in with their thoughts on the boy troubles.
Richard Whitmire, October 12, 2011
1 min read
Education Opinion For the Atlantic, Once is Not Enough
Hanna Rosin racked up an Atlantic Magazine hot seller with her, End of Men, soon to become a book. Why stop there? This month the Atlantic gets down to the nitty gritty question everyone wants answered: What does this mean for me? Am I going to land a similarly educated husband?
Richard Whitmire, October 11, 2011
1 min read
Student Well-Being Opinion If Football Sabatoging Boys?
Good question that talented writer Gregg Easterbrook takes on at ESPN. I think he's on to something. When I researched the book on Michelle Rhee I was struck by the attitude many parents -- yes parents -- had about their sons playing football and basketball. Many thought it was more important than academics.
Richard Whitmire, October 11, 2011
1 min read
Equity & Diversity Opinion The Rochester Discussion Needs to go National
If the Rochester schools are to show improvement, then focus on the awful track record we're seeing among black males. That was the message from this panel, part of the Black Male Initiative:
Richard Whitmire, October 7, 2011
1 min read
Education Opinion William Bennett: 'Culture' Is the Problem
I give the former education secretary points for speaking out in a CNN commentary on an obvious problem:
Richard Whitmire, October 4, 2011
1 min read
Education Opinion College Experience by Gender
In the Chronicle of Higher Education the president of the College of Saint Benedict lays out some truisms about college life, such as women getting better grades and men more likely to take risks:
Richard Whitmire, October 4, 2011
1 min read
College & Workforce Readiness Opinion Saving the "Lost Boys"
That's the headline of an interesting commentary in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Actually, the point of the commentary is why so little is being done to rescue boys.
Richard Whitmire, October 3, 2011
1 min read
Education Funding Opinion Gender Earnings Gap Narrows
That's the good news. The bad news is the narrowing comes about only because male earnings declined. Nice analysis in the NYT:
Richard Whitmire, October 1, 2011
1 min read
Education Opinion Flight from Marriage
The slippage in education and earnings potential among males has triggered some "marriageable mate" problems that will be new to everyone (except African Americans, who are all too familiar with the dilemma). Here's an angle I never thought of before: What are the economic implications on a macro level?
Richard Whitmire, September 29, 2011
1 min read
School Choice & Charters Opinion Single Sex Debate: Day 3
David Chadwell posts an interesting question: If gender differences are routinely researched in the medical community, why not among educators?
Richard Whitmire, September 28, 2011
1 min read