Text by NAOMI BONEH
Art by SAMANTHA HO
The steep science imbalance AP CLASSES HAVE UNEQUAL GENDER RATIOS
“W
HY ARE THERE ONLY FOUR GIRLS in stigma that girls are less likely to take a seemingly more difficult this class?” I remember a substitute teacher class, such as AP Physics. This assumption needs to change to ease asking me in my Advanced Placement Phys- the enrollment burden on all students. Girls need to be more conics class of 30 students. It certainly wasn’t the fident in their intellectual abilities and not shy away from rigorous first time I had noticed a gender imbalance in this class — to tell classes, and boys need to be encouraged to fixate less on pressure the truth, the drastic difference was made clear to me every time I among peers — especially when it comes to topics that spark genfelt awkward sitting at my table as the only female student. uine interest. In contrast, my AP Biology class has few male students proAlthough gender imbalances in science classes are accepted by portionate to the number of female students: there are only eight most, they still have impacts in a classroom environment. boys out of 27 students. “It definitely would be nice if there were a lot more girls [in While advocates of feminism are focused on ensuring equal AP Physics] because whenever we have lab groups I’m always with gender representation in the general Science, Technology, Engi- three other guys,” Rainy Yan, a senior taking AP Physics says. “And neering and Mathematics fields, there exists insufficient concern when there’s participation opportunities, girls never participate. I for how each gender divides themselves into particular subjects, feel like if you have a sound recording of the class, you wouldn’t and the gender imbalances in Palo Alto High even know there were girls in the classroom.” School’s advanced science classes are the conseThe issue of unequal gender representaIf you have a sound tion can be mitigated by making the perceived quence. The explanation I most often hear is that recording of the difficulty of AP classes equal, discouraging stumost male students naturally tend to prefer dents from prioritizing one class over another studying physical sciences and most female stu- class, you wouldn’t due to intimidation. dents tend to prefer studying life sciences. De- even know there One way to do this is by helping students spite appearing more progressive toward girls in fulfill prerequisite needs for science classes, STEM, this misconception only reinforces sex- were girls in the which will make them more accessible to all ist ideas about the interests of boys and girls. I classroom.” students. Teachers can offer opportunities to know plenty of male and female students who — RAINY YAN, senior meet prerequisites through summer homedefy these beliefs, and who righteously take acwork, which some AP classes already impletion to encourage others to follow their true passions and not the ment. If summer homework is extended to more AP classes or inones society has laid out for them. creased for classes that already require it, material learned later in More unique to Paly, the incidences of these gender imbalanc- the year will be easier understood. es can be attributed to college admissions pressure, which has led Additionally, teaching strategies to lessen the sense of peer many Paly students to try to over-strategize their academic sched- pressure, along with deliberately encouraging students to be ules. According to junior Edward Zhang, who is taking AP Biol- open-minded when choosing their class enrollment, can help ogy and Physics Honors this year, the higher proportion of male smooth the gender imbalance in science classes. students studying physical sciences has increased pressure to take My advice to Paly students choosing their schedules: Don’t let said classes in order gender imbalances to remain competiin particular classes tive as a STEM apor what your friends plicant. are taking sway “When I meet your own decisions. college counselors, Your time is better they’re always like spent pursuing the ‘You’re competeducation that you ing against a lot of are truly passionate boys,’” Zhang says. about — in doing The misperso, you become ception that girls part of the change are less competitive that dissolves gencompared to boys der stereotypes in contributes to the education. v
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56 FEBRUARY 2020
