feminist view and education Flashcards
view on education
Education is an instrument of exclusion and limitation (glass ceiling; subject choice). It reinforces gender identities and stereotypes, as well as promoting patriarchal ideology – especially the belief that women have contributed less to the world than men
brief history of girls in education
Early feminist research in education (1970s) highlighted the underperformance of girls and girls’ negative experiences, such as being ignored by teachers, being sexualised by teachers and pupils, sexism etc. However, since the mid-1990’s girls have outperformed boys, currently at ALL levels.
policies which helped girls
1970 Equal Pay Act
1975 Sex Discrimination Act
1988 Education Reform Act: marketisation; introduction of coursework; a National Curriculum
Browne and ross, gender domains
Boys and girls see tasks and activities as male or female territory. For example, mending a car is seen as male territory. Children are confident when engaging in tasks that they see as part of their own gender domain. Girls and boys also interpret tasks differently, paying attention to different details
liberal feminism, cause of gender inequality in education
Liberal feminists argue that gendered secondary socialisation e.g. gendered subjects and timetables are the cause of gender inequality in education. Also, discrimination in education e.g. higher pass mark required for 11+
liberal feminists, solution to close the gender gap
Liberal feminists argue that the solution to close the gender gap is to have an anti-sexist education with education policies and laws which prevent discrimination. Also, positive discrimination policies e.g. GIST and WISE/STEM. There should also be no glass ceiling in paid work
liberal feminists view on girls achievement
Liberal feminists celebrate the progress made so far in improving achievement. They believe further progress will be made by the continuing development of equal opportunities policies, encouraging positive role models and overcoming sexist attitudes and stereotypes. This is similar to the functionalist view that education is a meritocracy where all individuals, regardless of gender, ethnicity or class, are given an equal opportunity to achieve
liberal feminist, sue sharpe
Sharpe carried out research using unstructured interviews of mainly working-class girls in a London comprehensive showed that their priorities were ‘love, marriage, husbands, children, jobs and careers. In the 1990’s Sharpe repeated her research and found that girls priorities had changed: now their main concerns were careers. This may explain why girls’ results are so strong
radical feminism, cause of gender inequality in schools
The education system is patriarchal, including the sexual harassment of girls’ in schools and how education limits girls’ subjects’ choices and career options. They point to hierarchy too; male teachers still more likely to become Heads of primary and secondary schools
radical feminist view on the solution to close the gender gap
The Radical feminist’s solution is to overthrow patriarchy, including the removal of gender differences and divisions inside and outside schools. There should be no gendered subject ‘choices’ and women should be equal to men in world of work too
radical feminist view on the achievement of girls
Radical Feminists take a more critical view. They recognise that girls are achieving more but argue that the education system remains patriarchal and conveys the clear message that it is still a man’s world. Women are still under-represented in many (all?) areas of the curriculum e.g. their contribution to history, science or sport or largely ignored. Weiner (1993) describes the secondary school curriculum as a ‘woman-free zone’.
glass ceiling
Women reach a point in their career where they cannot progress any further
gender domains
Students choose courses and subjects which they label as “feminine” or “masculine’’
liberal feminist view on education
celebrate the progress made so far in improving girls’ achievement. They essentially believe that the ‘Future is now Female’ and now that girls are outperforming boys in education, it is only a matter of time until more women move into politics and higher paid, managerial roles at work.
radical feminist view on education
argue that Patriarchy still works through school to reinforce traditional gender norms and to disadvantage girls.
Some Radical Feminist Sociologists see concern over boys’ relative underachievement as a ‘moral panic’. Boys have still been improving their achievement in the last thirty years, just not as fast as girls. The Feminist argument is that the focus on education at the moment on ‘raising boys’ achievement’ reflects a male dominated system panicking at the fact that old patriarchal power relations are starting to break down.
Despite improvements in girl’s education – subject choices still remain heavily gendered, and girls do not seem to be ‘breaking the glass ceiling’. Feminists would also draw on research which suggests that traditional gender norms are reinforced in schools, to the disadvantage of girls.
