Orlando school's boys-only STEM event prompts protest petition

[Panich52]

AAUW

Orlando school's boys-only STEM event prompts protest petition

Audubon Park Elementary School's planned “mother & son night of fun” has prompted a protest petition and complaints from parents because the science-and-technology event was advertised for boys only.

Orlando resident Helena Zubkow started the “don't ban girls from STEM night” petition Monday night after hearing about the Nov. 13 event from a friend, who has two boys at Audubon Park.

The online petition, at Change.org, had more than 750 signatures by Tuesday night.

Zubkow said as a “woman in a tech field” she was outraged that a school PTA would hold an event to showcase “awesome experiments in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math,” the so-called STEM fields, and then exclude girls.

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School and PTA officials responded Tuesday by saying their intent wasn’t to exclude girls. Instead, they wanted to create something fun for mothers and sons after the PTA's successful father-daughter “sweetheart dance” last school year, an event planned again this school year.

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(Mother of 2 boys “This is a giant leap in the wrong direction, and it leaves me torn,” she wrote to the principal. “I don't want to support this kind of discriminatory event, but I know my boys are going to beg to go to it, because it sounds like it's going to be really fun. … STEM is for everyone … And let's face it – this is 2015, not 1955. There is no reason to exclude half the school from what sounds like will be an amazing learning opportunity.”

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X p Women's Issues

[HassleCat]

1. It's good to segregate the boys from the girls at STEM events

As long as they hold one for girls, of course, and put the same effort into it they do for the boys' event. The boys tend to crowd out the girls, and the girls get shunted off to the side. To get fair consideration, the girls need their own event where they don't have to compete for attention with the more aggressive boys.

[gvstn]

4. Are you being sarcastic or is this 1955?

Girls can look at gadgets or do math same as boys. Make way for them. What the heck are you talking about that they need a separate event to learn things?

[sue4e3]

5. I agree with hasslecat about holding two separate events,

In my opinion the problem with the all of it is the fact that "PTA" holds an event for mothers and sons , of course someone gets offended and needs a petition. So, they need to hold one for fathers and daughters . Every one gets to shine and move on to more important things.

[gvstn]

6. I still can't tell if their is sarcasm here.

You really want a separate event for boys and girls? This is 2015.

The kids don't care which gender they are, why should adults? Let them attend learning events without considering their gender.

[Callmecrazy]

9. But they have a Father- daughter dance and you don't hear a peep from anyone...

It's for boys and their mom's to do something together. Let it go.


No sarcasm here, in case you couldn't tell.

[sue4e3]

14. no sarcasm here either

[HassleCat]

11. Please read my post again

And talk to some people familiar with these tech events. The boys get excited an crowd out the girls.

[sue4e3]

13. I did read it and agree with you

I just added what else I think that has nothing to do with your post

[bluestateguy]

2. I wonder if the school has any events for the liberal arts or humanities

I'll wait.

[msongs]

3. well they did have a dance for girls n dads (no science, sorry). sounds like arts to me lol nt

[loudsue]

7. They need to have a "sweetheart dance" for mothers and sons, and leave the science to the whole

family. Boys, girls, moms dads, bros, sisses...science is for everyone. Sweetheart dances are a different animal.

[Ilsa]

8. 1. boys and girls need to learn to do these

Competitive events together;
2. Schools shouldn't assume an opposite-gender parent is in the kids lives. So, a girl can't go if she doesn't have a daddy?

[Callmecrazy]

10. Take an uncle...

If she doesn't have a significant male in her life then she's outta luck.
That's just the way it goes.

[Ilsa]

12. Or just not require she bring a male father figure.

She may not have a male figure in her life. That shouldn't prevent her from participating in social or academic school events.