Schools Failing Boys

Too many boys are failing in school, and a new report suggests that the fault may lie with the schools.

According to a report by the Center for Education Policy, boys now lag firmly behind girls when it comes to reading. And while boys used to have a lead in math, girls have now closed the gap.

"Something is going on in our schools that is holding boys back,” said Jack Jennings, president of the Center for Education Policy. Education researcher Susan B. Neuman said the study "suggests that schools are not meeting the needs of young boys because of a curriculum that does not reflect their interests and classroom management that does not tolerate their learning styles."

Neuman also said that the strong push toward testing and academics in the early years has created an environment that leaves "less time for choice and more demand for conformity." Young girls, she said, may thrive in an environment that focuses on early reading skills, letters and sounds, but boys, in general do not.

Let's hope the educational establishment gets the message. Our sons deserve better.