NOW and Single-Sex Education

NOW opposes the segregation of girls and boys into single-sex schools or classrooms. Although research does not show that gender is an accurate, consistent, or even useful determinant of educational needs, segregated schools and classrooms are gaining popularity. NOW recognizes that so-called "separate but equal" policies rarely treat girls equally, often relying on outdated sex-stereotypes about girls' and boys' interests and abilities. Further, studies show that all-boys schools increase sexism and exacerbate feelings of superiority toward women. To promote workplace equality in future years, we believe collaborative interaction between girls and boys in primary and secondary schools should be fostered, not eliminated.

• Below the Belt: Looking at Education through Father Knows Best-Colored Glasses (09/07)
• Opposing view: Retire Gender Stereotypes (NOW's Editorial in USA Today, 8/07)
• Regulations Undermine Title IX Equal Education and Sports Access (Winter 2007)
• NOW Opposes Single-Sex Public Education as "Separate and Unequal" (10/06)
• There is no 'boy crisis' (NOW's Editorial in USA Today, 10/06)
• On Title IX Anniversary, Michigan Poised to Remove Girls' Equal Education Guarantee (6/06)
• Separation Threatens Girls (NOW's Editorial in USA Today, 3/06)
• NOW's Comments on Proposed Regulations Regarding Single-Sex Education (in pdf format) (4/04)
• NOW's Comments on the Department of Education's Notice of Intent to Regulate on Single-Sex Education (5/02)