CNN: Why do Girls Lose Interest in Math and Science?

[Greg Perkins]

There are a lot of sterotypical comments regarding women who are in engineering and science fields; more of them pertaining to the fact that the females in these fields are "nerds" and we know where the comments stem from that. I think women need more direction in their lives at younger ages; I've seen far to many times that when a girl goes to thier guidance counselor in elementary school, they usually point them in a direction of a more "domestic" career. When guidance counselors at this age start steering them away from other fields, it seriously deprives them from achieving what they may never know they can do. It's sad really, even though the nation has given womens' rights I still can see that its not completly true.

In my Major in college, ther were 5 girls out of 450 students; what does this demographic tell you? That A) either they are getting into better schools than my college, or B) that most high school girls are'nt interested in careers that will someday make the world a better place. Sure, any girl can go into the hairdressing school, and get out and make mediocre money; or they can go into a difficult field, and reap the benefits of their hard work. I really love what groups like RCU and other organizations similar do. I was a memeber of SME at my college for a while, and if one of those 5 female students wanted to join, they were immedialty turned away. You ladies, you have voices...speak up, be heard. Your future depends on it!

[David Brinza]

For my wife, it was a fifth-grade teacher that discouraged her and all of the girls in his classes from learning math. "I don't expect that you girls will be able to understand this (math), so if you just remain quiet during class, you will pass." That occurred a long time ago, but it created "math-ophobia" for my wife. In spite of having a very analytical mind (yes, she thinks like an engineer), she just doesn't deal well with mathematical expressions.

That fifth-grade teacher's attitude was indicative of the culture that was prominent in decades past. Some of this mentality may still linger, though I'd be surprised if a teacher today would make the same sort of statement in a math or science classroom.

Are there any current students out there that have experienced this sort of discrimination?

[sanddrag]

One girl I know is actually a tutor for math (higher math too), and every Saturday I see her with a welder in hand.