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The Push For Quotas For Women In Science
mlimber writes "The NYTimes has a story about how Congress has quietly begun to press for an equal number of women in the hard sciences and engineering under Title IX, which is best known for mandating numerical equality for boys' and girls' sports for institutions that accept federal funding. The problem is, the article says, it is not merely that women face discrimination from male colleagues, though that is often true, or that they are discouraged from pursuing these fields. Rather, women with aptitude in these areas often simply have other interests and so pursue their education and careers in other fields like law, education, or biology. Opponents of this plan, including many women in scientific fields, say implementing sex-based quotas will actually be detrimental because it will communicate that the women can't compete on even terms with men and will be 'devastating' to the quality of science 'if every male-dominated field has to be calibrated to women's level of interest.'"
While not quotas per se, as a male it is possible to be a subject to affirmative action. The lack of male elementary school teachers is of such grave concern to some people that it is a natural consequence. It is a grave concern because about 1 in 5 elementary school teachers are male, and there are worries that the lack of male role models is disengaging young boys from the education system. That being said, inspite of action through school boards and professional bodies, men often fail to find work at the lower grades. Parents and principals keep them out.
That being said, it is the exception rather than the rule and I have seen feminists argue agressively against it because men have much better opportunities in society and don't deserve a hand up in the parts of society that they have been forced out of due to active discrimination. I wonder if they realise that more qualified men in education means more space for qualified women in other fields.