Families, however, can pass on legacies of either enlightened or unenlightened expectations for their sons and daughters, which are then altered in the daily interaction with culture, peers, and yes, to a smaller extent, teachers and schools. Gender issues are further complicated by the related issues of sexuality. I find it amusing that institutions scramble to respond to issues of gender but shy away from open discussions of sexuality as it relates to gender. I have noticed that student opinions on homosexuality differ from student to student, no doubt reflecting each individual's personal and family values, and no ethic of tolerance that the school might endorse would change this. Some parents condone pre-marital sex among their teenage students while others condemn and discourage it strongly.
Some issues seem too hot for a school to comfortably handle in a programmatic way.
It has been 20 years since Hawken became coeducational, and we have grown better in many notable ways because of this change. The culture of our school is accepting, independent and inclusive. This school clearly changed from a place interested in the intellectual and moral development of boys to a place interested in such matters for boys and girls. With the help of ambitious, enlightened and modern families, it's clear that we have succeeded in many of our goals, for our students and alums tell us that on a daily basis. If education is to be about opportunity, then we must seek equality in the classroom, while recognizing that boys and girls differ in many ways.