Ubergeeke on BlogHer: The Title IX Debate
I wrote a post over at BlogHer about the latest hype on the Title IX discussion as it pertains to women in science and engineering. It doesn’t fit into the focus of .51, so it’s not posted here, but I thought some folks might want to take a look.
Related posts:
- Ubergeeke Interviewed On BlogHer
- IEEE Women in Engineering: April News for WIE
- Open Source Bridge Presentation: “Faking It Til I Make It”
- Virginia DeBolt Interviews Shelley Powers
- WomenInTech: O’Reilly Gives Women Our Due
July 17th, 2008 at 6:49 am
I get where they’re coming from in making some attempt to address the obvious lack of female presence in “hard” sciences at high levels, but I think that the problem needs to be addressed much sooner in the educational journey. Are there a lot of out of work or not-receiving-the-recognition-they-deserve women physicists? That should be addressed. But if there is a lack of female applicants of high caliber, maybe its the 20 years of shuffling women out of the doors of the science lab for all but the most ardent students that is to blame. Much like affirmative action, I know the goal is to make up for this mentality later on and so might be a necessary evil… but the long run solution requires support from school, parents, AND “the system.”
Breaking down the old-boys network and changing core attitudes about a woman’s ability to contribute in the scientific workplace … now that’s another story and something impossible to implement top-down.
July 21st, 2008 at 12:53 am
I think the long-term solution is exactly what you say - a combination of strong teachers, dedicated parents and a system that encourages balance. But in the short-term, *this* plan - though flawed - will kick the old boys network in the teeth and get more women in the door *now*.