This study explores Black girls' perceptions of school and the leadership of a Black woman principal. Portraiture as the methodology was used to understand the nuances of education by interviewing and observing six Black girls. In this article, Black girls are situated as experts and co-constructors of knowledge on what it means to be a Black girl…

We study the effect of preferences for boys on the performance in mathematics of girls, using evidence from two different data sources. In our first set of results, we identify families with a preference for boys by using fertility stopping rules in a large population of households whose children attend public schools in Florida. Girls growing up…

As one of the world's fastest-growing economies, Bangladesh aims to become a middle-income country by 2021 and a high-income country by 2041. To attain these goals, the country must face global challenges head on by strengthening existing industries and preparing itself for industries that have yet to emerge. To do this, it must tap the full…

Young women's sexuality is a contested terrain in multiple ways in contemporary South Africa. A growing body of work in the context of HIV and gender-based violence illustrates how young women find it challenging to negotiate safe and equitable sexual relationships with men, and are often the victims of coercive sex, unwanted early pregnancies and…

Tetra is an "out" middle school student. She identifies as a "lesbian," a "tomboy," "butch," an "oddball," and a "geek." These identifications could place her as a marginalized and alienated student. However, Tetra was a successful student, both socially and academically. At her diverse…

In 2008, the Florida state legislature, by a nearly unanimous vote, rushed passage on a statute that allowed sex segregation in public school classrooms. According to the version of the bill that passed through the Florida House, sex-segregated public school classrooms would be an expansion of school choice and would be implemented only…

Increases in substance use prevalence among girls, as well as a lack of research conducted with urban girls of color, highlight the importance of understanding both predictors and outcomes of substance use abstinence (SUA) within this population. This study addresses gaps in SUA research through a longitudinal investigation conducted with urban…

In 2006, the George W. Bush Administration issued new Title IX regulations that allow for sex-segregated classrooms and schools in public, non-vocational elementary and secondary schools. These regulations provide schools with another condition that allows them to provide sex-segregated programs as long as they meet an "important governmental…

Far fewer males than females work in elementary education today. This deficit may represent an unacceptable balance in elementary teacher gender demographics. The purpose of this study was to examine teacher perceptions of gender-based differences among elementary school teachers. In this mixed-methods study, 217 elementary teachers in four public…

This paper examines why the training, certification, selection, and promotion of educational administrators ensures both the continuation of white-male dominance and of leaders oriented toward bureaucratic maintenance. The report draws on a poststructural conceptualization of power--the deployment of power through normalization--to provide an…

A survey of literature indicates that gender differences in computer use and attitude exist. In the public school system, girls are shortchanged, especially in the areas of math, science, and technology. Instructors need to be made aware of these differences and their actions and attitudes should promote sex equity. This paper begins with an…

A survey of textbooks used in French elementary schools during the Third Republic illustrates that period's attitudes toward female roles, social class, and religious differences. A sample of 126 public school books and 43 Catholic textbooks reveals that young students were presented the ideal of a woman content to remain inside an orderly…