Philadelphia all boys charter school renews single-sex school debate
USA Today reports that Boys' Latin of Philadelphia, one of the city's newer charter schools, has begun its second year, despite huge initial opposition to it single-sex program. David Hardy, Boys' Latin co-founder and acting principal, said, “Obviously something had to be done differently to engage these young men and prepare them for graduation, and for success beyond high school graduation.” The Women's Law Project and the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania had opposed Mr. Hardy's charter application based on its exclusion of girls. Although his application initially was rejected by Philadelphia school officials in January 2006, it was approved five months later when then-district CEO Paul Vallas called the gender achievement gap “a crisis.” New rules implemented by the U.S. Education Department (ED) in 2006 allow same-sex education whenever schools think it will expand the diversity of courses, improve students' achievement or meet their individual needs. Nonetheless, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) attorney Mary Catherine Roper contends those regulations conflict with the Constitution and Title IX, a federal law banning sex discrimination in education. “There is no justification for offering kids different opportunities based on their gender,” she said.
USA Today, 9/8/08, By Kathy Matheson (Associated Press)
[Editor’s Note: News of challenges to single-gender education and related stories and resources, including information on the federal Title IX regulations, are available below.]
NSBA School Law pages on ACLU suit against Kentucky district
NSBA Urban Advocate, Summer 2008