Back to the future: TDSB set to make public schools more like the 1950s
Toronto public schools keep tiptoeing closer and closer to a bygone age: schools segregated by sex, a sports academy, and a choir school were all approved in a meeting Monday night. The Globe and Mail is reporting that the Toronto District School Board approved a feasibility study of the four “programs of choice” last night.
For Torontonians wondering why public schools are aiming to become more like their private competitors, the Globe has you covered:
The all-boys school, called the Boys’ Leadership Academy, would include students from junior kindergarten through Grade 3. The staff wouldn’t necessarily be all-male, but the curriculum and teaching style would be geared toward boys through things like reading selections and increased physical activity.
The all-girls school, called the Girls’ Leadership Academy, would recruit an older age group, in Grade 4 through 8.
“The research tells us that some of the many challenges that girls face begin around that time,” said Karen Grose, the TDSB’s system superintendent for programs. She cited engagement issues, self-esteem and body image as examples.
Introducing young boys to social settings with girls right at the onset of puberty seems like a plan that might need some retooling. Either that, or bring back those sex ed classes the province cancelled.
• Separate public schools for boys, girls closer to reality [Globe and Mail] • Toronto public school board proposes specialized academies [Globe and Mail]
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