News-Record.com

Nethaway: Payback time for boys

Friday, June 23, 2006

For their sins, and the sins of their male chauvinist fathers, it’s payback time.

It’s time for American males, who have traditionally run society to suit themselves, to get a taste of their own medicine.

It serves them right.

No one can dispute that men have a history of treating women as second-class citizens.

It used to be legal for American husbands to discipline unruly wives by beating them with a stick no thicker than their thumbs. This compassionate standard is the origin of the “rule of thumb” expression.

When my mother was born, women were not allowed to vote.

All the best jobs were reserved for men. A woman’s place was in the home, cooking, cleaning, taking care of the children and serving as a help-mate for her husband.

If women did work, their job opportunities were limited to a few acceptable occupations such as nurses, teachers, librarians, clerks or secretaries to male bosses.

When I was in school, girls were required to take home economics and were discouraged from taking math, science or other subjects they would not need later in life.

Consequently, schools and colleges historically have been geared to train boys to become the nation’s future leaders.

Husband-hunting ground

Girls went to college to learn the skills needed to land a husband or a job in one of the acceptable fields, or both.

Young women who chose careers in the workforce experienced male-constructed glass ceilings that limited their ascension to the top of the business world.

Thanks to the suffragettes of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and a succession of women’s rights advocates and feminists, women have gained the vote, equality in the law and specific legal protections in civil rights laws, affirmative action legislation and Title IX rules designed to wipe out all vestiges of male preferences in public education.

The worm has turned. Previously unfavorable circumstances have been reversed. The downtrodden are getting their revenge.

Even if it was never the intent to downgrade boys as a means to elevate girls, something has happened to cause girls to pull ahead of boys in practically every educational measurement.

Whether in grades, graduation rates, college admissions or levels of academic achievement, girls and young women have raced ahead.

Perhaps boys became discouraged with all the efforts to rally support for the girls, which included the “Take Our Daughters to Work Day,” self-esteem programs, teaching seminars, education grants and specially crafted curricula and teaching methods designed to appeal to girls.

Or perhaps boys simply can’t compete and men knew this all along, which is why they rigged the process to maintain power and control.

A U.S. Department of Education study reports that girls outperform boys academically in all areas and at all levels. Boys, according to the report, are more than 50 percent more likely than girls to be held back in elementary school, one-third more likely to drop out of high school and twice as likely to be identified with a learning disability.

The number of boys who are qualified to go to college or want to continue their education has declined to the point that many colleges must give preferential admissions to boys to maintain a semblance of gender balance on campus.

Understandably, higher qualified girls don’t appreciate losing out in the admissions battle to lesser qualified boys simply to achieve gender diversity.

According to USAToday, American University in Washington, D.C., has decided to assess boys and girls equally. As a result, the student population is two-thirds female.

While girls are being encouraged to excel in school, boys are being disproportionately medicated with attention-deficit disorder drugs.

Perhaps it serves them right.

I think it's sports and raging hormones. Hard to focus with all those distractions.

LBR, you sure have a lot of pent up feelings on this subject.

For one thing girls never used to be encouraged to go to college. Now it is catch-up time.

Really,

My post was an article from the Waco-Tribune Post, dated June 23. You can access it on Wacotrib.com.

So those weren't my pent-up feelings but a reporter from Waco. I felt they were right on though .

Also, I'm a parent of boys and girls. I can see how boys are misunderstood and feel that in today's quick-fix society, they are too often medicated. I can see where this writer's point.

Just thought I'd share since I had just read this and then Jennifer posted a similar thought. I think another thing not mentioned by the writer is society's quest to mend the race relations, and in the process, we are losing a little something in our gender relations.

Did you ever notice all of the A and B students work for the C students? Most of the time common sense outpaces book smarts in the REAL world.

c student,

Provide some documentation of our assweerton, if you can. Otherwise, it's just a troll post.

C student,

No I never noticed that. I see the A & B students making the big bucks in corporations. I see the super A students getting into the best colleges. I see the C, D and drop outs working at fast food joints, digging ditches or on welfare. The grocery store cashiers can't even do change in their heads.

LBR, thank you for clarification. Right about the medicating boys. Some parents feel "boys will be boys". They don't correct them the same way they would girls. It doesn't help the boys relate socially in school.

Great point on race relations. Children should be treated as children. Same rules enforced for all colors and genders in school.

Really & OR Runner, I believe the situation that "C Student" is referring to is when a "C Student" is set up to run a company by either Daddy or Mommy. This usually causes much distruption in the workplace once the workerbees realize what a bungling idiot that "C Student" really is.

Eventually "C Student" corkscrews the company right into the ground and the results are that all of the workerbees are out of jobs and Mommy or Daddy are out a lot of money.

Hold on there................

C students are considered "average" according to school work and may just not be applying themselves in a boring Algebra class, but I could name many classmates that I went to school with that are in very successful positions today. Several own a muli-million dollar business.

My experience has been that the ability to work and get along with other people is much more important than working an Algebra problem...which I haven't done since 8th grade.

Matter of fact other than the elective typing course that I took, I cannot think of too much that I learned in high school that has been of any benefit to me in my $100,000 job.

Then again there are those who can do an algebra problem quickly, write well, get along with people and are good looking too. What a deadly combination for success! Some just seem to have it all.

Granted there are successful C students who don't apply themselves bookwise but have street sense.

Buckmtn, 100% on target about the family idiots born with a silver spooon in their mouth who run the family companies into the ground.

scholar,

That's all much different than the statement made by c student, which said "all of the A and B students work for the C students". This statement is patently false, in the absence of definitive proof. With the social promotions handed out in this school system, what level of eduation has a C student really achieved?

It's true several decades ago that many enterprising people succeeded without the benefit of a formal education. It is certainly possible that many have been underachievers in school and later succeeded in their chosen profession. But, our society has changed over the years such that a person with little or no education is not likely to become a captain of industry. It's possible, but the most likely route is to get a good education, and apply it to your chosen profession.

I think that we can all agree that it's the application of the education gained that makes the difference. Education is like a workman's tool; if unused, it is worthless.

Stormy,

Great post! Years ago a "C" meant average. Certain people may not have done that well on paper (testing) but had other skills. Also classroom work was more structured and on an individual merit. You rarely saw "group" projects. In business, people could start in the mail room, learn on the job and work there way up. That's not true in today's world. Most decent jobs require a college education to get in the door. Good colleges expect high GPAs. At best, any college expects you to be able to read and do math. Remember all the students need remedial classes when they enter GTCC.

Today's students are continually passed even it they can't read, do basic arithmatic nor write. One can't hurt their self-esteem. The emphasis now in the classroom is on group and social interaction to make everyone "equal". Basic structure is gone in many respects. Boring tasks like memorizing math formulas or learning the basics of the English language are not taught. In writing students are not expected to spell correctly or use great grammar. They are just told to put their thoughts down. That's great initially but when the writing is not corrected, how are they learning how to write properly? Sooner or later the truth comes out when they can't write a simple business letter or college essay.

windy,

Unfortunately, a C student is no longer average. In today's public schools, your lesser students drop out beginning in the 9th grade. The result is that by graduation, you essentially have three levels of students; A, B, and C. Students with less than C average, are no longer there at graduation, so in essence, your C student is not the average, but in fact, the B student is the average graduating student.

Is it disaster for a student graduating with a C average? No. In the case of a student that has not been motivated or been underachieving, there is still time for a recovery, as the inherent ability still lies under the surface, and the person can get that motivation to achieve. The primary problem is that student is now behind in the race, so they have to run harder and jump higher to succeed.

It's true that many A students don't succeed in life, as they may be complacent. I've seen many good students graduate from college with the attitude that "I have graduated and now the world should fall over itself to hire me". Well, if the employer doesn't see motivation and desire to apply that knowledge, they will likely look elsewhere. As I said before, successful people are usually the ones that have the education and knowledge, along with the desire and wilingness to apply that knowledge. Education is good; Applied Education is better.

During orientation day at the college I attended, my group's counselor said something that has always stuck with me: He stated that the A student return to teach at the univ., the B student would retire at a position of prominence in some business, and the C student would gift to his alma mater a building as a result of his/her acquiring wealth.

Look at our President 43, made gentlemen C's in school and here he finds himself today, to my and a host of million's chagrin, on top of the heap. Only in America.

Senator Kerry was also a C student whose GPA was a tad south of W's while at Yale. However, 42, one of our most popular and successful Presidents, was a Rhodes Scholar with an excellent academic record.

Dear Bubba,
both of your examples are men from prominent, wealthy families. They could have made d's or flunked out and would still be in positions of power due to money, money, money. Let's talk about the middle class, not the upper 2%-- Give me some examples of the middle class making c's that do better than the top of their class! Everything else equal, employers want the best student that they can get.

Debora,

You are obviously uninformed that, unlike 43, Sen. John Kerry was not born into wealth but suffered under the financial restrictions of a father whose salary was earned as the result of a lowly government job. Now Senator Kerry, never a part of the New England blue blood society in his early years, though well educated, suffered some major financial setbacks, and as a result of not being able to earn wealth married into it, twice as a matter of fact.

Because of his current babe and her credentials might I remind you that each time you purchase a HEINZ product you are helping to stave off the possibilities of poverty for the Senator.

Of course, we're all aware of the rags to riches story of President Clinton. An abusive father though balanced with a Godly mother who unfortunately loved to play the dice, did not hinder the aspirations of their son who received his early education in a state whose illiteracy rate mirrored many third world countries.

Debora, did you marry into wealth or did your better half find your balance sheet to his liking?

There's something pretty dumb about Bubba's college where the C students are the successful ones. What did your counselor say to you about those that dropped-out and flunked-out, Bubba? What do they achieve in life? Was this an impressive ivy-covered wall school or the local votech school?

Oh, Bubba, Slick Willie was a Rhodes Scholar for sure. He was bright enough, I'll agree and first-in-his-class politician, but some would disagree that he was a successful president. What did he succeed in, really?

Stormy, my university is private, quite pricey, and has extremely rigorous enrollment requirements.

Well he succeeded in getting elected twice. That's quite an accomplishment in light of the fact that the country in the past quarter century has trended toward the views of the right wing nut jobs. Our economy went through the roof including my investment portolio. Kept us out of any major military conflicts and left office with one of the highest approval ratings for a President.

Why, Bubba, you've been misleading us all of these months. If you attended an exclusive, pricey college, then you aren't really a bubba or good ole boy after all. You are really an elitist snob. Shame on you posing as an honest, jesus-loving bubba, trying to fool us. Shame, shame, shame.

Oh, by the way, did you actually graduate from that snobbish school?

And, as for Slick Willie, it wasn't high approval ratings that he left office with, it was with millions of dollars. Pretty interesting for a guy that never had a pot to his name and lived in government housing all of his professional life. Definitely a rags to riches story, or could we say a Denise and Marc Rich story. Oh, "pardon" me for a bad pun.

Bubba,
yes I know the Kerry made his money the old fashioned way.. he married into it. I, nor my hubby did either. We are both first generation college and earned what we have. And yes we were a/b/and c students. I went to a state college--no money here, so you are barking up the wrong tree. And by the way, I don't remember Clinton working in the general population for long, hasn't he been an elected official for about 20 years.. of course until he retired from the oval office. I could have part of that wrong-- he was smart, no 'c' student, no family money so he is where is becauser of other influences.

So...right wing = nut job.

The trouble with today's education everything is dumbed down in order to adhere to political correctness. When I moved here 5 years ago, I was wondering why some many kids were classified as advanced learners. I remember thinking is there something in the water that makes everyone so smart In other states, you have to be a genius in order to qualify as an advanced learner.
Now I am not dissing the smart kids, but it is clear to me that standards have changed creating an education system where average is really not average.

Education has ulitimately taken a back seat to political correctness.

Stormy,

I am happy to proclaim I was the first college graduate of both sides of the family, and no I never aspired to the elitist ranks such as the NHP kind. My grandpappy always instructed his brood to, and i quote, "Never live above your raisins'." And on that point, I never disappointed grandpa.

It's sad you begrudge 42 his opportunity to the good life in light of the fact he and Senator Kerry (for some reason Debora still feels he's a blue blood) were born into modest means unlike 43 (George W) who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

Stormy, apparently 42's 8 year reign burns you up. I trust you will remain composed when Mrs. Rodham-Clinton is sworn in during ceremonies in Jan 2009.

So, Bubba, if you never got above your raisins, and you graduated from an elite, pricey college, then you must have had a full ride scholarship? If you are that smart, what are you doing these days to use that big ole, high falutin education?

What are you to good to mingle with the good people of NHP since you went to that elitist school?

Nah, Slick Willie's 8 years don't bother me, but an investigation of how he and his missus got so "Rich" in so short of a time would be very interesting. Mrs. Clinton as president? She won't even get the nomination, if she doesn't start cozying up with the far left, like George Soros and stop trying to play to the center.

Oak Ridge,

A while back, while comparing notes with William Jefferson Clinton, President Bush in a moment of rare transparency, made the statement that the Presidency according to the past pattern and future would be Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton(Hillary)-Bush(Jeb).

It's quite obvious you're quite a Bushieite, so you must agree with W's comment, since your Bush is seldom wrong.

I did get some scholarship help but my parents assisted in financing my education of which I am forever thankful of the great sacrifices they incurred in order that their son experience the American dream.

It would shock you to know who I mingle with.

God Bless them and God Bless the USA and my as well as your prayers should be to bring our men and women home as soon as possible from Iraq.

Bubba,

It isn't so obvious that I am a Bush supporter, as I haven't mentioned his name, only you have. It should only be obvious from my comments that I have little regard for Slick Willie because of his money-grab as he and his spouse were leaving office. Selling presidential pardons should and is against the law. We'll see if Hilliary and Jeb get in office. Personally, I think that we have taken the Bush/Clinton connection far enough. One more would be one too far.

Back to the orgininal subject of this strand....

Did anyone see the Education Channel and the valedictorian/salutorian interviews? Did I miss something or was Southwest High not represented???