Single-sex schools can ‘exacerbate harmful gender stereotypes’, experts say

Experts have weighed in on the single-sex school debate, warning separating students based on sex can “exacerbate harmful gender stereotypes”.

Single-sex schools can “breed toxic masculinity”, education experts say.

Single-sex schools can “exacerbate harmful gender stereotypes” and “breed toxic masculinity”, education experts say.

They also warned separating students based on sex can hamper social development and cause girls to “glorify boys”.

Around 65 per cent of Australians attend a government school, which are nearly all coeducational.

Majority of Victoria’s single-sex schools are non-government and charge fees upwards of $30,000.

There are also a small number of government single-sex schools, but they are mainly academically selective.

While data shows private schools tend to have higher academic scores than government schools, experts say the biggest contributing factor is the socio-economic status of students.

Out of the top 15 private single-sex schools in Victoria, based on Year 9 NAPLAN averages, 11 were all-girls schools.

This included Fintona, Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Ruyton and Camberwell Girls Grammar.

For a Year 9 student, tuition fees for all schools are above $32,000, with Ruyton the most expensive at $37,350.

The top boys schools included Camberwell Grammar, Melbourne Grammar and Trinity Grammar.

Tuition fees for a Year 9 student at the top-performing schools are $36,117, $38,940 and $39,464 respectively.

Professor of Education at Deakin University Amanda Keddie said research has found single-sex environments for girls are beneficial because they provide an “empowering space” where females can feel less self-conscious and have more opportunities for leadership.

“But some research indicates that single sex environments are not beneficial for boys given that all-male contexts can encourage and amplify harmful ideas about being a boy or man,” she said.

“For example, idealising physical strength, domination and competition which can manifest in machismo, sexism and homophobia.”

Professor Keddie said there is a strong body of research that criticises single-sex schools for “putting them in opposition to each other”.

“This is not helpful when preparing students for understanding gender diversity and negotiating the world beyond school,” she said.

“Parents select single-sex schools for their children in relation to personal preference and what they can afford.

Professor Keddie said research has found single-sex environments for girls are beneficial.

“Many single-sex schools are class privileged and thus parents are buying a particular reputation, culture and tradition which they perceive to be beneficial for their child.”

Australian Catholic University Associate Professor Laura Scholes said single-sex classes within co-ed schools can be the way to go.

“I think co-ed schools are better. But that’s not to say that within schools there can’t be some classes that are streamlined to cater for boys and girls,” she said.

“So the problem with just having totally segregated schools is the stereotypes tend to get strongly entrenched and some of the most problematic behaviours can come out of these all-boys schools.”

Associate Professor Scholes said there can be pressure to be “hyper masculine” in all-boys schools.

“It can breed toxic masculinity – dominance, strength, competition and winning over other boys,” she said.

Associate Professor Scholes said single-sex classes within co-ed schools can be the way to go.

“The schools often are trying to do the right thing, but they might offer more narrow boundaries around what’s expected – that boys love sports or thinking that boys are good at maths or love to read nonfiction.”

She also said single-sex schools hamper social development.

“When you are in single-sex schools you don’t have those opportunities for healthy socialisation,” she said.

“Some students at all-girls schools glorify boys. They wouldn’t socialise with them like normal humans. They might start to excuse behaviours as ‘boys just being boys’, because they haven’t been around boys at all.”

Professor Keddie said although private single-sex schools are associated with higher levels of academic achievement, the better scores are related to “class privilege”.

She said the biggest predictors of educational advantage are socio-economic status, whether you live in a rural or urban area and racial identity.

Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australaisa says girls-only education leads to higher academic achievement, higher confidence levels, greater participation in STEM, and enhanced career aspirations.

“In the absence of boys, teaching is tailored to girls’ learning needs and preferences, and activities and academic opportunities are free of gender-stereotyping,” their website reads.

“Girls have more grit, greater self-esteem and feel empowered to achieve their full potential.”