Hidden Lessons Essay

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Gender Bias in our School System Myra and David Sadker, experts in the field of education and sexism in schools published the opinionated article “Hidden Lessons” as an excerpt from their book “Failing at Fairness: How Our Schools Cheat Girls”. Their work brings to light an omnipresent gender bias problem in education. Is gender bias an issue that violates the laws of ethos, pathos, and logos or does this article embellish the issue found in modern day society? The Sadker’s use “Hidden Lessons” as a launch board to illustrate gender biasing in schools by stating examples of unfair teacher interaction where girls are given less opportunities than boys via unfair activities. The Sadker’s open their “Hidden Lessons” work by stating that “it is difficult to detect sexism unless you know precisely how to observe it” (Sadker, and Sadker 55). It is clear that the authors feel that sexism and biasing are current issues and happening but being left unattended by school administrators across the country. The article uses the uneven distribution of time that the teachers give the male students over the female students as their prime example of favoritism. They formed their conclusions after sampling classroom activities in a leading Washington D.C. private school and used a statistical system as a model to hypothesize outcomes in other areas of the country. In addition to the Sadker’s sampling evidence and their conclusions; they also expose asymmetric teacher-pupil interaction instances where teachers use female students as props while the boys are allowed to dominate the lecture discussion. Furthermore, female students in their study were also told to step away from math manipulations to allow the male student to have access to interactive learning resources. They compile their sampling evidence and drive home a powerful conclusion that girls as a whole have

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