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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.
The problem is how to encourage underrepresented demographics to participate without discouraging over represented demographics from participating
What if one of the causes of participation by the well represented ("over-represented", after all, implies a predetermined desirable level of representation) is the very fact of under-representation by other groups? i.e. what if geekdom is-or-was a "safe space" for an oppressed group?
It isn't an accident that the image of "computer nerds" from the 1980s was what it was, nor was it some grand plan of the patriarchy to enable their heirs to carry on the torch of Y chromosomal world dominance. It was because we were the people who couldn't get dates, who got bullied, who retreated into our imaginations and creativity because what we found outside was so ugly and off-putting and predatory to us. We're The Mentor, and these people are still trying to spoon feed us baby food.
And now that we've won, we've actually built the shining city on the hill that stands a good chance of no less than saving the whole world from darkness, here come the barbarians to demand their share. Well if you ask me, they can fuck right off back to their hellish world of head chopping, marketing, buying, and hating. We built this, and we don't have to share it with assholes.
I believe what he's saying is that boys are more likely (some studies have found boys are five or more times likely) to be autistic or suffer from some autism spectrum disorder . Among other characteristics related to this disorders is difficulty communicating with other people such as having problems being able to tell how another person feels based on facial expression. One theory is that people who are autistic or have autism spectrum disorders may prefer working with computers because it does not require as much social interaction. The computer is essentially devoid of emotion. There are no facial cues or body language, just output messages. That might make boys more inclined to be interested in computers.
Normally it isn't a zero-sum game. Anyone who wants to study can, but if a funding model is introduced that penalizes schools for having too many boys it's likely that you'll see some get excluded, either because there's now less funding available than before if there aren't enough girls in the class or because the school is not able to get enough girls in the class to qualify for funding.
Really, they should just make a basic computer course mandatory in one of the earlier grades. That way everyone will have exposure and if it turns out that girls still aren't interested then people need to start looking for other causes or perhaps it does lead to more interest from girls and it solves the problem in that way.