Sex-segregated education: characteristics and criticisms

Many schools propose an education in which only boys or girls are taught. Is this correct?

Throughout history, we have seen how different aspects of living in society have evolved in different directions. Values, concepts, cultures, ways of seeing the world, philosophies or political systems have been born, modified and altered. The way of educating is no exception, generally moving towards an egalitarian educational practice that aims to give everyone the same opportunities regardless of race, condition, age or sex.

Regarding the latter, at present, in most schools and educational institutions in our country, boys and girls receive a quality education in centers where they are educated in mixed classrooms where both sexes are present, whether we are talking about public or private institutions. However, there are still there are still some schools that defend gender-segregated education.. In this article we are going to analyze what this type of education is, what it defends and the existing positions on the matter.

The education separated by sexes: what is it and what does it pretend?

We denominated education separated by sexes, also denominated differentiated education or segregated education, to a type of educational model which is characterized by the defense of the impartición of separate education for members of each sex.. In other words, this is a model that implies that boys are educated with boys and girls with girls, without mixing in the classroom.

Formal education separated by sex is not a recent educational model, but appears from the moment schooling becomes compulsory for both sexes. Even before compulsory schooling, there was already a differentiated education, which in the case of women was focused on acquiring the culture and skills necessary to successfully perform domestic tasks. It would not be until 1783 that compulsory schooling for girls would begin in Spain, albeit with a differentiated curriculum focused on traditional gender roles.

This differentiation would be maintained through the various laws that arose over time, forming male and female schools. In fact, coeducation did not appear in our country until 1901, although differences continued to exist and education remained mostly separated by sexes. Likewise, the various historical events and dictatorships would entail a series of advances and setbacks in the a series of advances and setbacks in the search for mixed education.. In fact, it was not until the General Education Law of 1970 that curricular equality and a real mixed school would be recognized.

Today, most of the West has left this model behind, using an educational model in which mixed education of boys and girls prevails. However, there are still different schools that maintain education separated by sexes. Although in many cases we are faced with a paradigm that is followed in more traditionalist and religious schools, the truth is that there have also appeared sectors that defend it from a perspective that claims to seek the maximum level of development of both sexes.

The following are some of the points of view taken into account by both the pro-choice and pro-religious positions both by those in favor of this type of model and those against it..

Positions in favor of this type of education

Those who defend gender-segregated education, who tend to call it differentiated education, propose that this type of education provides more educational possibilities, and they argue that it is an educational model to which they can subscribe. an educational model to which parents who wish to do so can subscribe..

Another point that is usually added is the conception that with a separate education, it is possible to make a differentiated assessment and action in specific problems of each sex and to attend to the different developmental rhythms presented by boys and girls. This could also facilitate that by adapting to specific developmental rhythms, education would be more adjusted and generate less school dropout and failure, and facilitate academic success by adapting education to the evolutionary particularities of each sex.

They propose that each sex sees its own pace of development accepted and validated, so that it is not constrained by the perception of differences with the other sex. Likewise, they also mention this type of education not as something sexist that seeks the submission of women to men, but as a way to emancipate them.

It is also often said that in coeducation, a specific pace and way of acting is required for all students, without taking into account the differences not only in development but also in the way they behave.. It is considered that the boy tends to be more energetic, competitive, and active, while the girl tends to have a higher level of discipline and verbal and emotional reasoning.

From this position it is also believed that it is common for many girls to feel uneasy because of the high level of agitation and activity of boys, while boys tend to see that the level of Biological maturation of their female peers is higher than their own and they are also penalized for their level of activation.

It has also been observed that in differentiated education there tends to be a lower level of eating disorders and body self-image problems, as well as lower levels of distraction on the part of both sexes.

Positions against segregation by sexes

Opponents of sex-segregated education, which is often referred to as segregated often referred to as segregated educationOn the other hand, they maintain that the separation of both sexes in different classrooms makes it difficult to adapt to the real world. In fact, on a daily basis, students live and work with people of both sexes on a continuous basis, and the segregation of the sexes in the school environment makes it difficult for them to get used to working together.

Likewise, coeducation or mixed education implies the existence of equal opportunities between both sexes, being educated in the same way and with the same options. Segregated education implies limiting these options and the generation of two different classes of students, not all students benefiting from the same education.

The validation of possible differentiated levels of development can lead to the erroneous attribution of a lesser capacity of some or others in certain types of studies or learning. There is a risk of stereotyping the studentsand also fail to take into account individual differences within the same gender.

They also take into account that most of the differences classically attributed to sex differences are in fact based on differentiated ways of educating or considering the figure of men and women, and that the biological differences that do exist and seem to make some skills easier to acquire and/or master for a given sex are not greater than those existing between members of the same sex. As far as individual differences are concerned, coeducation should take into account the particularities and specific needs of each student without considering that they are due solely to the biological sex with which they were born.

In addition, there would also be a positive effect at the level of values. Being educated together means that boys and girls can develop attitudes such as acceptance of different perspectives and ways of doing things, tolerance and facilitates respect and equality between men and women. between men and women.

The current situation

As we have seen, sex-segregated education is a controversial educational model that has its advocates and detractors. In Spain, the Constitutional Court has recently ruled that this educational model is constitutional and can be publicly funded. can be paid for at the public levelIt is offered to those families who so wish. This is not an isolated case: in various European countries (e.g. the United Kingdom and France) and on the American continent (Canada and the United States), this educational model is applied in various centers that are not necessarily privately owned. The same is true in Africa, South America, Asia and Australia.

However, at present this type of education continues to be rejected by a large part of the population and Western society, being considered a model based on traditional gender roles, which generates inequalities and differences between sexes, which is not very adaptive, not very representative of the real world and in which a lack of understanding and acceptance of differences and tolerance of diversity is facilitated.

Bibliographical references:

• Alcázar, J.A. and Martos, J.L. (2005). Algunas reflexiones sobre la educación diferenciada por sexos. Navarra: Eunsa Astrolabio.
• De la Orden, M. (2017). Analysis of differentiated education in a context of egalitarian educational policies. Faculty of Philosophy and Letters. University of Cadiz.
• Calvo, M. (2005). Boys with boys, girls with girls. Córdoba: Almuzara.
• Subirats, M. (2010). co-education or segregated school? An old and persistent debate. Journal of the Sociology of Education Association 3 (1): 146.