Program Aims to Attract Girls to Math - Kansas State University

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1. Program Aims to Attract Girls to Math
Kansas.com (07/06/06); Tanner, Beccy

Kansas State University hopes its Exploring Science, Technology, and
Engineering program will encourage more female high school students to
become interested in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics.
Raytheon's principal manufacturing engineer, Mark Evans, notes that
students' interest in science and math often begins to wane during
middle
school or early high school. Raytheon's senior manager of public
relations, Mike Turner, cites the difficulty of influencing freshman
and
sophomore students to consider math and science careers. Turner said
the
United States has fallen behind Third World countries in training a new
generation of scientists and engineers.
(http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/local/14972694.htm)

 

From the June 10, 2006 issue of Science News (full article available here):

Mathematical references abound on The Simpsons

Gender issues in mathematics take center stage in "Girls just want to have sums," which aired on April 30. It lampoons the scandal that ensued in 2005 when Lawrence Summers, then president of Harvard University, suggested that women are innately inferior at mathematics.

In that Simpsons episode, Springfield Elementary School Principal Skinner is ousted after casually remarking that girls aren't much good at math. Skinner's female replacement divides the boys and girls into separate schools since, she says, girls can't learn math around "aggressive, obnoxious" boys.

Brainy 8-year-old Lisa Simpson is delighted until she attends the girls' math class. "How do numbers make you feel?" the teacher begins. "What does a plus sign smell like? Is the number 7 odd or just different?" Aghast, Lisa poses as a boy to attend the ghettolike boys' school, where real math is being taught.

At the climax, the Simpsons writers leave the issue of women in mathematics tantalizingly unresolved. As Lisa, aka Jake, accepts the award for best math student, she says, "I guess the real reason we don't see many women in math and science is. . ." only to be hurried off stage so that the award for best flautist can be presented.

Mark

Disclaimer: I encourage math proficiency in my three children (indeed, in all) without regard to gender.