“Because Equity is Still an Issue”

 

AAUW Mission Statement

 

AAUW promotes education and equity for all women and girls, lifelong education, and positive societal change.

 

Lansdale Branch Mission Statement

 

The Lansdale Branch of AAUW brings together a powerful network of educated women that provide programs, projects, and interest groups with intellectual and social merit that support the AAUW mission and offer leadership and self-development opportunities for our members.

Introduction:

The AAUW was founded more than a century ago when education and employment opportunities were severely limited by gender, race, and other social characteristics. Although it is true that women and girls have made great strides, great inequities still persist.

AAUW has always conducted forward thinking research on issues that impact women and girls as a first step to address the problem.  This legacy began with the first study done in 1885.  A group of AAUW members conducted a survey that debunked the popular theory that higher education was bad for women's health. That first study established AAUW's commitment to cutting-edge research relevant to the struggle for gender equity in school and in society.  Today, AAUW research draws national attention to issues of gender equity and education; influences policy-makers as well as educators, parents, and students; and, most importantly, serves as a catalyst for action.

Following is a summary of some of the publications based on the research funded by the AAUW Educational Foundation and Legal Advocacy Fund.

 

 

Women and Girls’ Education

 

Ø       Shortchanging Girls Shortchanging America (1991)

 

In 1991 a nationwide survey of students aged 9 to 15 was conducted to examine the impact of gender on self-esteem, career aspirations, educational experiences, and interest in math and science.  The study found that although girls begin first grade with comparable skills and ambition to boys, by the time they finish high school, most have suffered a disproportionate loss of confidence in their academic abilities.

 

Ø       How Schools Shortchange Girls: The AAUW Report (1992)

 

The Shortchanging Girls Shortchanging America study was followed in 1992 with How Schools Shortchange Girls: The AAUW Report.  This research involved an examination of how girls in grades K-12 receive an inferior education to boys in America's schools. Among other results, the report reveals that:

 

·         girls are not pursuing math-related careers in proportion to boys;

·         although the gender gap in math is shrinking, the gender gap in science is increasing;

·         many standardized tests contain elements of gender bias

 

These forms of gender bias undermine girls' self-esteem and discourage them from pursuing nontraditional courses of study, such as math and science.

 

Ø       Gender Gaps: Where Schools Still Fail Our Children (1998)

 

The progress and failure of schools in providing a fair and equitable education between 1992 and 1998 was evaulated in a report titled Gender Gaps: Where Schools Still Fail Our Children.  The report states that girls have made great strides in education since 1992 when How Schools Shortchange Girls was published.  However, while gender gaps in areas such as math and science had narrowed, other gaps had persisted or emerged.  Focusing on math and science it was evident that the gap between the number of girls and boys taking math and science courses had diminished but gender differences remained in the kinds of courses taken – with boys often taking more advanced courses.  The trend indicated that:

 

·         boys take more of the core science courses,

·         girls lag behind in enrollment in physics classes,

·         girls score lower on national tests in the math and sciences

·         although a comparable number of girls enroll in math and science AP courses, in general they score lower on AP exams

The results when technology in schools was evaluated showed that girls made up only a small percentage of students in computer science and computer design classes and this gap widened from grade 8 to 11.  Girls were more likely to enroll in less advanced computer science courses, they used computers less outside of class, they lacked the computer self-confidence boys often have, and they had few powerful active female role models in computer games and software.

Ø       Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age (2000)

The AAUW Educational Foundation Commission on Technology, Gender, and Teacher Education evaluated the education of girls in the technology arena in our schools.  Their findings were reported in Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age.  They reported that:

·         Girls represent 17 percent of the Computer Science "AP" test takers, and less than one in 10 of the higher level Computer Science "AP" test takers. 

·         Women receive less than 28% of the computer science bachelor’s degrees and are roughly 20 percent of IT professionals.

·         They suggested that girls find programming classes tedious and dull, computer games too boring, redundant, and violent, and computer career options uninspiring. 

To address the problems identified in the report, the commission made a number of key recommendations for schools and communities. Among them is:

·         to design software for both classroom and home that  focuses on the many design elements and themes that engage a broad range of learners, including both boys and girls;

·         that curriculum developers, teachers, technology experts, and schools need to cultivate girls' interest by infusing technology concepts and uses into subject areas ranging from music to history to the sciences in order to interest a broader array of learners;  

·         educate girls to be designers, not just users;

·         set a new standard for gender equity which emphasizes computer fluency: girls' mastery of analytical skills, computer concepts, and their ability to imagine innovative uses for technology across a range of problems and subjects.

Ø       Women at Work (2003)

The status of women in the work force was assessed in the study Women at Work.  The results indicated that although women had achieved parity with men in obtaining four-year college degrees today compared to twenty years ago, they are not sufficiently prepared to move into the better-paying, higher-status, and fastest-growing occupations, including systems analysts, software designers, and engineers.  The report highlights the need for advanced education for women in computer and information fields and reiterates that without better education in high-tech fields, the technological gender gap will continue to grow.  The recommendations from the report included promoting the benefits of education in computer science, engineering, mathematics, and technology to women and girls, and creating opportunities and incentives for women and girls to pursue these fields.  

Ø       Under the Microscope: A Decade of Gender Equity Projects in the Sciences (2004)

The AAUW report Under the Microscope: A Decade of Gender Equity Projects in the Sciences specifically evaluated the progress made in increasing the participation of girls and women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) due to the increased development and support of women and girls in STEM projects.  As pertains to the schools the report concluded that while extracurricular activities (e.g., visits to science museums and manufacturing plants, field trips to nature reserves, and meetings with professionals or experts in one or more of the STEM fields) have proven effective in advancing girls’ interest in STEM fields, greater attention should be paid to infusing gender equity STEM activities into the formal school curriculum.  The report concluded that preparation in early grades followed by a high school curriculum of high academic rigor is crucial in ensuring equal opportunity in the sciences at the college level and beyond.

Ø       Signposts (How-to Guide)

Drawing on the findings of the AAUW Educational Foundation's 1998 research, Gender Gaps: Where Schools Still Fail Our Children, Signposts: A Guide to Creating Gender-Fair Schools provides a road map to becoming a gender-fair school. Signposts suggests gender equity goals for schools in nine topics: math education, science education, instructional materials, technology, professional development, sexual harassment, dropout prevention, athletics, and school-to-work. Schools that meet criteria in at least five can get a certificate and other recognition from the local branch.

Ø       Tech Check (How-to Guide)

AAUW Tech Check for Schools is a guide to help schools assess the technology opportunities they offer female students, in conjunction with Gender Gaps and Tech-Savvy, AAUW Educational Foundation research that addresses girls and technology. The guide helps schools and AAUW branches identify strengths and challenges of school programs in addressing gender equity and suggests ways that schools and community groups such as AAUW attract more girls to high-tech fields and narrow the IT gender gap. Schools are encouraged to share their positive results with AAUW.

 

Women and Girls’ Self-Esteem, Leadership, and Self-Confidence

 

Ø       Shortchanging Girls Shortchanging America (1991)

 

This study found that as girls reach adolescence, they experience a significantly greater drop in self-esteem than boys. This was the first national survey to link the sharp drop in self-esteem suffered by pre-adolescent and adolescent American girls to what they learn in the classroom.

 

Ø       How Schools Shortchange Girls: The AAUW Report (1992)

 

This research involved an examination of how girls in grades K-12 receive an inferior education to boys in America's schools. Among other results, the report reveals that:

 

·         girls receive less attention in the classroom than boys;

·         curricula ignore or stereotype women;

·         reports of sexual harassment of girls are increasing;

·         many standardized tests contain elements of gender bias.

 

These forms of gender bias undermine girls' self-esteem.

 

Ø       Girls in the Middle: Working to Succeed in School (1996)

 

This report shows how adolescent girls (middle school), regardless of their race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or region of the country, use a common set of behavioral strategies to meet the challenges of middle school. Girls try out these behaviors in a vital but often-misunderstood identity-making process, shifting strategies to fit changing circumstances.

 

Among the most common strategies are:

·         Speaking out - girls tend to make their opinions heard at home, at school, and in the community;

·         Doing school – when girls "do school," they often complete their work on time, listen in class, and meet adults' expectations, which may lead to good grades and academic success. On the other hand, doing school may result in suppressed potential;

·         Crossing borders – when girls cross borders, they tend to move easily between different cultures or sets of norms and expectations, bridging the gap between peers and adults or between different racial or ethnic groups. This skill makes them good communicators and mediators. However, being a go-between may be a heavy responsibility at times.


Girls in the Middle links girls' success to school reforms like team teaching and cooperative learning, especially where these are used to address gender issues. Reforms that match students with caring adults and confront such real student concerns as violence, pregnancy, and social norms benefit boys as well as girls.

Ø       Voices of a Generation: Teenage Girls on Sex, School and Self (1999)

In this study the voices of 11- through 17-year-olds describe lives filled too soon with grownup worries. Sex, peer pressure, and body image top the list of their concerns. Neither schools nor parents provide the help girls need with these issues. On this, the girls agree regardless of where they live—in the city or suburbs, in the Northeast or Central Plains—or the racial/ethnic group with which they identify.

The girls describe cruel school sexual politics, in which boys press for sex and tease girls who refuse, while girls egg each other on, then turn on those who accede to boys’ demands. Girls describe the search for identity and the pain of exclusion. Teens today say they are forced to grow up too fast as they face concerns of drugs, violence, sex, and pregnancy.

Ø       Beyond the “Gender Wars”: A Conversation about Girls, Boys, and Education (2001)

A symposium of scholars who study both girls' and boys' experiences in and out of school is chronicled. Participants share their insights about gender identity and difference, challenge popular views of girls' and boys' behavior, and explore the meaning of equitable education for the 21st century. A clear outcome was that researchers view gender identity as inextricably enmeshed in and shaped by other aspects of social identity, including race, ethnicity, social class, region, immigration status, and sexuality.  These complexities make it hazardous to generalize about the experiences of girls or boys in the abstract. The participants stated that “we need to create more equitable schools that encourage equal academic achievement and engagement for girls and boys across the curriculum”, and that “support both girls’ and boys’ sense of themselves, their options, and their ability to express themselves as full human beings across a variety of social roles”.

Ø       Hostile Hallways: Bullying, Teasing and Sexual Harassment in School (2001)

Four out of five 8th to 11th grade students—boys and girls—report that they have experienced some type of sexual harassment in school and that sexual harassment—words and actions—in school happens often, occurs under teachers' noses and can begin in elementary school. Harassment occurs whether the school is in an urban, suburban or rural setting and ranges from non-physical – taunting, rumors, graffiti, jokes or gestures – to physical.  Some observations in the report include:

·         Peer-on-peer harassment is common.

·         Girls are less likely to report non-physical harassment in locker rooms or restrooms.

·         Over one-third of students who had been harassed report that they first experienced it in elementary school.

·         Most harassment occurs in the classroom and in the halls.

This report indicates that it is vital to educate our students and teachers/administrators, as early as elementary school, in dealing appropriately with bullying and sexual harassment.  As a result of this study, AAUW formed a partnership with the National Education Association and a task force to address sexual harassment in schools.

 

Equity

 

Ø       Gains in Learning, Gaps in Earning (2005)

Women have made remarkable strides in education during the past three decades, but these gains have yet to translate into full equity in pay—even for college-educated women who work full time. A typical college-educated woman working full time earns $44,200 a year compared to $61,800 for college-educated male workers—a difference of $17,600.

As points of comparison, the percentage of women with a college degree in the entire United States was 22.8 in 2000, and the median earnings of college educated women who worked full time, year round was $44,200 in 1999 (in 2003 dollars). The earnings gap between college-educated women and men is $17,600.

 

Ø       Public Perceptions of the Pay Gap (2005)

Women working full time earn about 75 percent of what men working full time earn. Even after considering job tenure, years in the labor market, occupation, education, and other factors usually associated with pay, about 20 percent of the gap remains unexplained.

A national poll was done to determine the awareness level of the pay inequity facts.  Highlights from the research:

·         The majority of women and men agree there is a difference between the wages of male and female full-time workers.  However, twelve percent of women believe there is no gender gap, compared with 24% of men surveyed.

·         Democratic and Republican women agree that a pay gap exists and believe the key reason for it is that employers don’t promote young women because they are more likely to leave if they have children.

·         Over one-half of all surveyed believe employers’ are unwilling to promote young women because they may leave when they have children and this is a key reason for the pay gap.

·         About 41% think the pay gap exists because women prioritize family over work and are less committed to their careers.

·         About 41% believe the cause of the pay gap is because employers discriminate against women in their hiring and promotion practices.

·         Women’s skills and educational attainment are NOT considered an important factor in the gender pay gap by either men or women.

 

Sexual Harassment

 

Ø       Drawing the Line: Sexual Harassment on Campus (2006)

The AAUW Educational Foundation's newest research report, Drawing the Line: Sexual Harassment on Campus, represents a survey of both male and female undergraduates 18 to 24 years old.  The survey results indicated that:

·         Sexual harassment is widespread on college campuses, nearly two-thirds say they have encountered some type of sexual harassment while at college.

·         Sexual comments and jokes are the most common form of harassment.

·         Most students don’t report sexual harassment to a college employee, and many tell no one.

·         Harassers are most likely male, and tend to think harassment is funny.

·         Sexual harassment occurs at public/private, large/small schools, and in dorms, on campus grounds, in classrooms and lecture halls. 

·         Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students are more likely than heterosexual students to be sexually harassed.

A college education is increasingly becoming a prerequisite for many career paths and for lifelong economic security. Young adults on campus are shaping behaviors and attitudes that they will take with them into the workforce and broader society. A campus environment that encourages  - even tolerates - inappropriate verbal and physical contact and that discourages reporting these behaviors undermines the emotional, intellectual and professional growth of millions of young adults.

 

 

Ø       Tenure Denied: Cases of Sex Discrimination in Academia (2004)

This is a qualitative research report based on the Legal Advocacy Fund’s archive of sex discrimination cases. The report poses some hard questions raised by 19 cases that were reviewed: How can women—and other underrepresented faculty—break into highly centralized power systems where standards are self-referential and tightly controlled by a conventional “old boys’” network? What can universities learn about their systems and practices of hiring and promotion? And what is the message for policy-makers considering new programs to end sex discrimination in academia and other places of employment?

Despite remarkable strides in closing the gender gap, women continue to face sex discrimination when seeking tenure and face an uphill battle by taking on the Ivory Tower of academia.  Research shows that in an academic setting, compared to men, on average, women earn less, hold lower-ranking positions, and are less likely to have tenure. A lack of transparency, unclear standards, and biased behavior and decision-making in the tenure process contribute to this problem.

Ø       A License for Bias: Discrimination, Schools, and Title IX (2000)

This study conducted by the AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund (LAF) shows that federally funded schools and universities consistently fail to address student complaints and concerns about sex discrimination and, by doing so, widely ignore federal requirements.  The study revealed that sexual harassment was the most common Title IX complaint, accounting for 63% of the cases analyzed and that sexual harassment complaints were most prevalent in elementary and secondary schools.

 

For Additional Information:

If you would like additional information about these studies visit Association website, www.aauw.org, and click on the Research tab at the top of the home page.  Many of these reports are also available for sale through ShopAAUW, just click on this icon on the home page of the Association website.