EDUCATION REPORT - Single-Sex Schools

EDUCATION REPORT
–
May 30, 2002: Single -Sex Schools

By Jerilyn Watson

29 May 2002, 21:15 UTC
This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

There are many private schools in the United States that accept only boys or only girls. But
there are only eleven single-sex public schools. A twelfth will open next fall in Houston,
Texas.

The Bush administration¹ recently announced support for separate public schools for boys and
girls. The decision represents a major change in American educational policy. For thirty years, the government
has generally disapproved² of these single-sex public schools. It has done so because of a nineteen-seventy-two
law called Title Nine. This law bans unequal treatment based on sex.

Under Title Nine, single-sex schools face possible legal action. In January, however, Congress³ passed an
Administration measure that provides three-million dollars for single-sex schools. Congress also told the
Education Department to change the way it administers⁴ Title Nine.

Education Department officials say they will reconsider the law. The goal will be to give local officials more
choice in operating their schools without violating⁵ the law. More single-sex schools may be able to receive
federal⁶ money as long as both boys and girls have equal chances to learn. However, some legal experts say these
schools would still violate⁷ the law. They say the new policy will be tested in the courts.

Some educators believe children can learn better in single-sex schools. Others say children need to be with
children of the opposite sex. Scientists have shown that boys and girls learn information in different ways.
However, research about the effects of same-sex schools has shown mixed results. Most of the research has
involved girls.

During the nineteen-nineties, the American Association⁸ of University Women completed major studies on
education. The organization said girls who attend school with boys may not do as well as the boys. It said some
teachers and schools do not treat girls equally. But it also said single -sex education generally does not appear to
help girls.

The oldest single-sex public school in the United States has gained great success. Western High School in
Baltimore, Maryland was established in eighteen-forty-four. More than one-thousand girls from several races,
ethnic⁹ groups and religions attend Western. Almost all of the girls go on to college.

This VOA Special English Education Report was written by Jerilyn Watson.

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1 administration   

n.经营，管理；行政，行政机关，管理部门

参考例句：

• Who is in charge of the administration of your company?你们公司的行政工作由谁负责？
• The teachers are responsible to the school administration.教师向学校行政负责。

2 disapproved   

v.不赞成( disapprove的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• My parents disapproved of my marriage. 我父母不赞成我的婚事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She disapproved of her son's indiscriminate television viewing. 她不赞成儿子不加选择地收看电视。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 Congress   

n.(代表)大会；(C-:美国等国的)国会，议会

参考例句：

• There were some days to wait before the Congress.大会的召开还有几天时间。
• After 18 years in Congress,he intented to return to private life.在国会供职18年后，他打算告老还乡。

4 administers   

管理( administer的第三人称单数 )； 治理（国家）； 给予； 执行

参考例句：

• Physical exercise administers to the circulation of the blood. 体育锻炼有助于血液循环。
• Health administers to peace of mind. 健康有助于身心的安宁。

5 violating   

亵渎( violate的现在分词 )； 违反； 侵犯； 强奸

参考例句：

• Ignorance of a law does not excuse a man for violating it. 一个人不懂法律不构成犯法的理由。
• It was sued by the U.S. federal government for violating antitrust law. 它被美国联邦政府指控违反了反托拉斯法。

6 federal   

adj.联盟的；联邦的；(美国)联邦政府的

参考例句：

• Switzerland is a federal republic.瑞士是一个联邦共和国。
• The schools are screaming for federal aid.那些学校强烈要求联邦政府的援助。

7 violate   

vt.违反，违背，亵渎，侵犯，妨碍

参考例句：

• Those who violate traffic regulations should be punished.那些违反交通规定的人应该受处罚。
• Can they be allowed to violate rules and regulations at will?难道能容许他们随心所欲地破坏规章制度吗？

8 association   

n.联盟，协会，社团；交往，联合；联想

参考例句：

• Our long association with your company has brought great benefits.我方和贵公司的长期合作带来了巨大的利益。
• I broke away from the association ten years ago.我10年前就脱离了那个团体。

9 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。