The Need Girls with a healthy self image have a strong sense of who they are, are less likely to take unhealthy risks, have the ability to withstand peer pressure, and feel empowered to pursue their dreams. Unfortunately, once girls reach early adolescence, too many lose self-esteem as they fall prey to conflicting messages about femininity and achievement from school, the media, and peers. The development of opportunities and skills to critically assess those messages is crucial to their ability to survive with their self-esteem intact. Current research demonstrates that many girls attending coeducational schools do not receive equal opportunities to achieve academically, particularly in the areas of math, science, and technology. Methods by which these subjects are traditionally taught leave girls uninterested, self-deprecating, and unwilling to pursue further study in high school or beyond.
Women are similarly underrepresented in all other fields of science, math and engineering.
Even girls who are high achievers in these areas often feel unempowered and fall prey to gender-stereotypical beliefs about themselves and their abilities. Despite the best intentions of teachers and schools, girls in coeducational settings are at a distinct and profound disadvantage that limits their options in later years. Understanding methods of scientific inquiry and scientific conclusions will also become increasingly important for citizens interested in making intelligent choices in the political arena about everything from environmental issues to defense policy. They are intellectually curious, serious about their studies and achieve more. The Solution Girls at single sex schools flourish academically.