28.2
9.21.2011
Possible Expansion of Same
Gender Education in Wake County
Emily Gamiel, Editor
WAKE COUNTY
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
image via wikipedia
On September 6, 2011, Tony
Tata, Wake County Schools superin
tendent, proposed the latest idea for
North Carolina’s largest school sys
tem. As the only remaining women’s
college in the triangle area, the idea
hit close to home for Meredith Col
lege students, faculty, and alumni.
Tata, who was elected superinten
dent of Wake County schools in
December 2010, has proposed two
same gender schools in the Raleigh
area; one for girls and one for boys.
The schools, which are referred to
as “leadership academies” in an
article that T. Keung Hui published
on September 6, 2011 in the Ra
leigh News and Observer, will teach
grades six through twelve and would
open for the 2012-2013 school year
and will be located in the heart of
the Triangle area; one possible loca
tion downtown and the other in East
Raleigh.
Meredith College President Dr.
Jo Allen said “I think it’s a won
derful plan. I think it has a lot of
progressive elements that really
IMTHISISSUI
address the things that we know
about education; what works and
what doesn’t work.” Michelle Cox,
class of 2013 Teaching Fellow,
agreed with Dr. Allen by saying she
thought the idea was, “really inno
vative.” As affiliates with Meredith
College, both Dr. Allen and Cox
related to the success that is associ
ated with same-gender schools. Dr.
Allen said, “We know that single-sex
education works. We know that it’s
a very important and critical piece
of the toolbox for students, espe
cially in any way you should shape
or discuss developmental progress
in learning.”
One constant that can be found
in every learning student, whether
in sixth grade or some time during
his or her college career, is a spe
cific learning style that is unique to
that person. One reason that same
sex education works so well, in most
cases, is because students who chose
this style of education recognize the
academic accomplishments that it
brings to him or her individually.
Dr. Allen said, “We know that you
don’t choose your learning style.
You work within its boundaries and
there are strategies that you learn
to compensate and do things dif
ferently.” As for Meredith students,
each woman has chosen this style of
education on her own, as an adult.
Cox, a woman who made this choice
more than three years ago, prior to
attending Meredith, agreed with
this idea. “When I give tours for
White Iris to girls who are looking
at Meredith, I tell them T can tell
you all day long why I love Meredith
and why I love being in a women’s
institution, but you have to find out
if that’s right for you’.” Although
Meredith students have made the
decision on their own to attend the
college, the students interested in
attending the new school have no
say in whether they will attend or
not.
"Wc know that
single-sex eduea-
tion works.^ We
know that Ws a
very important
ana eritical piece
of the toolbox for
students../^
As opposed to independent
citizens, or those who are eighteen
years and older who can legally
make decisions for themselves, the
students that would be enrolled at
the proposed schools would have
this decision made for them by their
parents or legal guardian. On this
subject. Dr. Allen thought “I think
the message in here for parents is
that if there are options that speak
to the way your child learns and
strengthens that opportunity for
learning, I don’t know any parent
that wouldn’t sign up. Parents want
to the best thing for their children.”
Parents may also be attracted to
the fact that the schools will also
be partnered with area colleges to
provide “early college programs,”
as referred to by Hui, which means
students will be able to graduate
high school with two years of col
lege credit. While some may view
this as a good thing, others bring up
concerns. Cox acknowledged that,
“I think that sometimes we can rush
things.” However, this seems to be
one of the only controversial aspects
about Tata’s proposal found on the
Meredith campus.
Regardless of age, it is proven
that specific learning styles call for
same-gender education. With Tata’s
proposal, not onlyx;ollege students
would have the option for this style
of learning in Wake County, but
also middle and high school age
students. Dr. Allen argued strongly
for this school, noting that, “You
come back to the research, specifi
cally about women’s colleges, and
we have plenty of evidence that
they are stronger critical thinkers,
stronger leaders, better communica
tors, more likely to go onto graduate
school, and they are more likely to
be satisfied in their careers. So, if
you see that as an outcome that you
want, you back that into the col
lege experience and now, with this
initiative, you could back that into a
6-12 experience. I think it has great
potential.” On October 4, 2011, the
plan will be formally pitched the
Wake County school board. School
board elections will follow on the
nth.
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