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WA Bill Takes Aim at Boys' Dominance In Computer Classes
theodp writes Boys' over-representation in K-12 computer classes has perplexed educators for 30+ years. Now, following on the heels of Code.org's and Google's attempts to change the game with boys-don't-count gender-based CS teacher funding schemes, Washington State lawmakers have introduced House Bill 1813, legislation that requires schools seeking K-12 computer education funding to commit to preventing boys from ruling the computer class roost. Computer science and education grant recipients, HB 1813 explains, "must demonstrate engaged and committed leadership in support of introducing historically underrepresented students [including girls, low-income students, and minority students]" and "demonstrate a plan to engage historically underrepresented students with computer science." Calling it "a bold new bill that we hope more states will follow," corporate and tech billionaire-backed Code.org tweeted its support for the bill.
Stop the madness already! I have no women in my team right now, not because I don't want women in my team (seriously, it would give that female toilet a reason to exist if we had one...) but because there are no female applicants. Zero. None.
It's not any man's fault that few women are interested in computer science. And if this insanity becomes reality, you may rest assured that it will create MORE, not LESS misogyny. Because then, unlike now, I will probably think twice before inviting a woman for an interview, knowing that she got her degree far easier than a man and hence the chance to be a dud being greater.
Seriously. When this bullshit becomes law, schools will carry girls through the courses whether they should pass or not, just to keep the ratio "positive". That's bullshit. If it accomplishes anything, it's that HR weeds out female applicants because there just are too many that were "quota chicks".
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
*whoosh*
That was the subtle humor -- not that the boys are getting autism from the vaccines but that if you stop vaccinating them we'll kill enough of them off to even it out.
It's a reference to a MRA board on... I think it's Reddit, but might be one of the *chans, called "The Red Pill". Supposedly a Matrix reference, from people who seriously think the world is actually run by women for women, and men don't actually have any say in anything, and that perceptions that it's not and that men (for the most part) run the world are actually a clever illusion from our gyno-overlords...
You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
Considering the Democrats are a center-right party, I am not sure how anybody can call or be called a liberal for donating to their casues or candidates. If he donated to the Greens, then it would be fair to label him a liberal.
There is a major disconnect between European definitions of Left/Right vs US definitions of Left/Right that leads to much argument and misunderstanding.
European version of Left/Right is socialism/communism vs fascism.
In the US, Left/Right is 'more government' vs 'less government'. This actually has little to do with political party in the US, as both Parties have those who desire more government and those who desire less government.
Liberals in the US are a misnomer, as they are nothing like the "classic liberal" that many if not most people think of when "liberal" is mentioned, and are actually the Progressives from the early 1900s who, after having their ideology totally discredited, "rebranded" themselves as "liberals" so they could try again to push the same failed ideology.
The plan proposed is simply another flavor of "affirmative action" for females in a specific field, attempting to force the outcomes without addressing the natural & non-political reasons behind the differences or simply ignoring them for political convenience.
Strat
Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
First: Yes this is anecdotal, but it is my own experience with 'diversity' in the academic environment. It may not happen all the time or everywhere, but I don't believe it is uncommon either.
The summer before my senior year in college I acted as the boy's counselor for a career "summer camp" sponsored by the State of Michigan, aimed at high-school students. There were many different topics offered, but my school (U of M-Dearborn) was providing an engineering focused camp. As a counselor, I was involved in the selection process, which was run by the engineering admissions office. There were many more applicants than we had openings for students (approximately 30 openings), and the state had mandated a diversity goal (including geographic diversity). The result was a process that went like this:
1. Sort the applications. Place all white male applicants in pile 'B', retaining all female and non-white male applications in pile 'A.' (Actually, the gender sorting was retained.)
2. Review female applications and select the best to fill 50% of the openings.
3. Review non-white male applications and select the best to fill the remaining openings.
4. Plot geographic location of selected applicants' hometowns on the state map. Notice that no applications were selected from the Upper Peninsula. (U.P.)
5. Look for U.P. applicants in the A pile. Finding none, go get the 'B' pile (white males) and search for U.P. residents. (two found)
6. Replace bottom two selected males with the two U.P. residents.
7. Congratulate the team that they have done a wonderful job at promoting diversity.
I do not have a poker face and my disgust must have shown, because the Associate Dean of engineering approached me afterward and said "See, we got some white males in the end." What she didn't seem to understand was that what disturbed me wasn't the outcome (which was bad enough), but that if you were a white male applicant, your application wasn't even considered (except for the two Yoopers*, and they wouldn't have been if there had been any in the 'A' pile). Given the topic today, I suppose I should have been happy that they accepted any male applications at all.
*For those who don't know: Yooper = someone who hails from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (U - per). Conversely, the Yoopers call those of us from the Lower Peninsula "Trolls", because we live "below the bridge." (the Mackinac bridge which connects the two)
McFly777
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"What do people mean when they say the computer went down on them?" -Marilyn Pittman