According to recent studies, separating boys and girls in schools might cause more problems than it solves. Supporters of same-sex schools usually argue that because girls' and boys' brains work differently, they require different teaching styles. But a new study found that all-girls and all-boys schools may actually end up supporting gender stereotypes and may cause students to socialize only with their kids of their own gender. Led by Penn State professor Lynn S. Liben, the study of preschool students found that after two weeks of teachers using gendered language and gender-divided activities -- such as asking kids to line up by gender or use separate blackboards -- the girls started playing less with the boys and the boys started playing less with the girls. She even found that the kids' choice of toys became more gender-stereotyped. She said, “There is strong evidence for negative consequences of segregating by sex."
This study suggests that attending same-sex high schools might cause you to spend more time with friends who are the same gender as you, and may cause you to act more stereotypically girly or boyish. Although she loves her all-girls school, High School blogger Arielle Schacter says that feeling uncomfortable around boys was one negative aspect of her "gender-segregated world."
Do you think that students who go to same-sex schools spend too much time with friends of their own gender? What do you think are the benefits (or downfalls) of going to a co-ed school? Share your thoughts and reactions below.