CO-EDUCATIONAL, OR COED, REFERS TO A SCHOOL IN WHICH BOYS AND GIRLS, OR MEN AND WOMEN, LEARN TOGETHER IN CLASS. MOST SCHOOLS ARE SET UP THIS WAY.
BUT, FOR ABOUT A DECADE, ONE IDAHO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KEPT CLASSROOMS DIVIDED, BOYS WITH BOYS AND GIRLS WITH GIRLS.
THAT IS, UNTIL THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STEPPED IN. AKIMA OSUMI HAS THE STORY.
UNTIL THIS PAST JUNE THIS IS WHAT CLASSROOMS LOOKED LIKE AT MIDDLETON HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY. CLASSES WERE DIVIDED BY SEX IN AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE BOYS PERFORMANCE IN READING AND WRITING AND GIRLS PERFORMANCE IN MATH. BUT, THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RECENTLY RULED THIS TYPE OF SEGREGATION VIOLATES TITLE NINE, WHICH PROHIBITS GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN EDUCATION. THE IDAHO AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FILED THIS COMPLAINT WITH THE GOVERNMENT 4 YEARS AGO. LEO MORALES: "AND IF YOU TEACH BASED ON GENDER STEREOTYPES THE OUTCOME CAN SOMETIMES BE VERY HURTFUL BOTH FOR BOYS AND FOR GIRLS AND THAT WAS AT THE HEART OF THIS COMPLAINT AS WELL. NOT ONLY IS THE CURRICULUM DIFFERENT AND THE TREATMENT DIFFERENT, SOMETIMES WE DO GET, WELL THE TREATMENT THAT IS DISPROPORTIONAL AND OFTEN TIMES FAVORS THE BOYS." SUPERINTENDENT JOSH MIDDLETON TELLS KBOI THERE CURRENTLY AREN'T ANY SINGLE-GENDER CLASSROOMS AT THE SCHOOL AND THEY DON'T PLAN TO HAVE ANY
IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.
Instructional Links
Idaho School segregates by gender
Use the guide to understand Title IX. May need password.
Website Article: American Civil Liberties Union, Sex Segregated Schools, Just the Facts