Yet another study
A recent article in the New York Times discusses the findings of a new study, which examined mathematical aptitude in the context of gender. The statistical data used for the study came from standardized test results, including the SAT and ACT. The study found that there is no evidence to support the old stereotype that boys are better at math than girls. This study, which was funded by the National Science Foundation, is part of their recent efforts to encourage more women and girls to enter the fields of science, engineering and technology.
Since we feminist chemists got all A’s in our math classes, including differential equations and abstract algebra, this latest study is of no surprise to us. However, this study is important because discrepancies in the scores of men and women on these tests in the past have been used to rationalize the exclusion of women from science, engineering, and technology. However, this study proves that those past discrepancies were borne of the historical fact that our mothers and grandmothers were encouraged to take home economics instead of calculus. In these modern times girls are taking as many math classes in school as the boys, and as hard as it may be for some men to comprehend: there seems to be a direct proportionality between the amount of math classes one takes in school and how one scores on the math section of the SAT!!!! We know, pretty mind-blowing.
Although we feminist chemists have mixed feelings about the amount of value our society puts on standardized testing, it is nice to see the SATs and ACTs used for an inarguably excellent cause- crushing the stereotype that says girls just can’t do math.
July 26th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
This study proves what we feminists said 35 years ago: girls can achieve at the same levels as boys providing they’re encouraged to study. It’s why we fought so hard for Title IX: equal opportunities in public education for girls and boys. Math isn’t hardwired into the brain of either males or females. I lament the generations of girls who lost out because of stereotypes.