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Still Failing at Fairness: How Gender Bias Cheats Girls and Boys in School and What We Can Do About It
Despite decades of effort to create fair classrooms and schools, gender bias is alive and well, and in some ways growing. School practices continue to send boys and girls down different life paths, too often treating them not as different genders but as different species. Teachers and parents often miss the subtle signs of sexism in classrooms. Through firsthand observations and up-to-the-minute research, Still Failing at Fairness brings the gender issue into focus.
The authors provide an in-depth account of how girls' and boys' educations are compromised from elementary school through college, and offer practical advice for teachers and parents who want to make a positive difference. The authors examine today's pressing issues -- the lack of enforcement for Title IX, the impact of the backlash against gender equity, the much-hyped "boys' crisis," hardwired brain differences, and the recent growth of singlesex public schools. This book documents how teaching, current testing practices, and subtle cultural attitudes continue to short-circuit both girls and boys of every race, social class, and ethnicity. Hard-hitting and remarkably informative, Still Failing at Fairness is "a fascinating look into America's classrooms" (National Association of School Psychologists).
The authors provide an in-depth account of how girls' and boys' educations are compromised from elementary school through college, and offer practical advice for teachers and parents who want to make a positive difference. The authors examine today's pressing issues -- the lack of enforcement for Title IX, the impact of the backlash against gender equity, the much-hyped "boys' crisis," hardwired brain differences, and the recent growth of singlesex public schools. This book documents how teaching, current testing practices, and subtle cultural attitudes continue to short-circuit both girls and boys of every race, social class, and ethnicity. Hard-hitting and remarkably informative, Still Failing at Fairness is "a fascinating look into America's classrooms" (National Association of School Psychologists).
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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168 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 30, 2017
I considered myself to be vigilant about not making gender targeted comments to children. If I told a little girl she was pretty, I always added “and smart and clever” too. You noticed I added -ed to consider because after reading this book, I realized I wasn’t as good at this neutrality as I thought.
This book will shift your perspective, and open your eyes to just how ingrained the small nuisances of “you’re a girl, therefore thus...” and “you’re a boy, therefore thus...” is ingrained into our society. And, this books shows that this happens with both genders, not just females as is most often written about. It happens to everyone!
I read this book 7 years ago, and I still think about it when I talk
This book will shift your perspective, and open your eyes to just how ingrained the small nuisances of “you’re a girl, therefore thus...” and “you’re a boy, therefore thus...” is ingrained into our society. And, this books shows that this happens with both genders, not just females as is most often written about. It happens to everyone!
I read this book 7 years ago, and I still think about it when I talk
August 15, 2021
A depressing and necessary read for educators. The research is not that current (90s and early 2000s) and sadly, it still holds. I read this as part of a summer reading group with the Gender Equity Committee I am helping to chair at my middle school. Lots to process and many good reminders to be aware of our socialized biases as teachers.
May 26, 2017
Offered a variety of examples to exemplify arguments and is an interesting account of how failing at fairness impacts both boys and girls.
March 22, 2010
Liked the unpretentious writing and concrete advice very much. There was some amount of statistics overload, but they were always used thoughtfully.
However, I still felt the book glossed over the claim that women are paid less than men in the workplace. I wanted to see statistics that controlled for education levels and actual performance reviews and so on. In contrast, I thought this book handled the issue of sex bias on standardized tests very well. After presenting studies, the authors also explained the methodology behind the studies and provided actual sample questions that biased the test (e.g., an analogy that assumed familiarity with football). This wasn't a facile use of anecdotes as data; having these examples helped convince me, as a reader, that the argument wasn't just lying with statistics.
However, I still felt the book glossed over the claim that women are paid less than men in the workplace. I wanted to see statistics that controlled for education levels and actual performance reviews and so on. In contrast, I thought this book handled the issue of sex bias on standardized tests very well. After presenting studies, the authors also explained the methodology behind the studies and provided actual sample questions that biased the test (e.g., an analogy that assumed familiarity with football). This wasn't a facile use of anecdotes as data; having these examples helped convince me, as a reader, that the argument wasn't just lying with statistics.
April 6, 2023
This was read for a required class for my major and it was a very well-written and eye-opening book about the presence of gender bias in schools today. While it was written around 20 years ago, the fact that the content within isn't yet dated makes a very damning statement about the public school system in the US and we as educators and future educators are in dire need of looking at our own bias.
January 21, 2012
I read this for a class and while I felt the message was powerful, it was heavily repetitive and statistics heavy. I learned a lot from it, but the book could probably be cut in half without losing any meaning.
August 13, 2009
NOT a fan. I am reading this for a class entitlted "Girls are equal too". The book should be called "Seriously, you can prove anything with statistics".
May 31, 2010
This book was all right. I kind of skipped around while reading it.
September 13, 2011
Good overall message but very repetitive.
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December 6, 2013good
July 10, 2014
A must read.
January 21, 2015
This book is a total eye opener to how the world and our classrooms really are. Its funny, intriguing, and very convincing.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews