THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 10, 1995 TAG: 9503100071
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E9 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: BACK TALK
LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
All our student responses to last week's Teenspeak question are from Larkspur Middle School. They all feel sex separate classes are taking a step back in time. Here are their responses:
No, it is not right to have sex separate classes. It's a free country now. If you have sex separate classes, it's just like putting blacks in one class and whites in another. Students have a right to learn with another students. I'm proud of the way my school is teaching me. I'm happy with having girls and boys in the same class room. - Takesha Young, 14, seventh grade, Larkspur
No, they should not have sex separate classes. It's just like having segregated schools again. We tried so hard to stop all this. And I'm not just going to sit here and watch it happen again. We are all equal. - Larry Butler Jr., 13, seventh grade, Larkspur
Public schools should not have sex separate classes. It's like going back a long time ago when blacks were in one school and whites were in another. It just wouldn't work. - Shaun David Lindeneyer, 12, seventh grade, Larkspur
No, boys and girls should not be separated from each other. It's just like when the blacks and whites were separated from each other. Why would people want to be separated after how long it took to get ride of segregation? - Laura Smith, 13, seventh grade, Larkspur
Responding to sex separate public schools. I think it is outrageous. It upsets me. I thought the Constitution said we are equal. For years we have been trying to bring about equality by having African-Americans and whites, males and females go to school together. All that hard work should not be forgotten. Separation is not morally right, and it will only cause trouble. - Nicky Clark, 12, seventh grade, Larkspur
Public School students shouldn't be taught in sex separate classes. It took so many years to get black and white students together. Sexism is just like racism. When separated, boys and girls grow up to not be able to communicate respectfully to each other. Then it is just going to add more problems that our society will have to solve.- Rebecca Charles, 13, seventh grade, Larkspur
I personally believe that our classes should not be separated. It is in the best interest of everyone to be influenced by both genders. Segregation is not right or fair. No gender is better than the other. What will it take for our great nation to know that all people are equal? - Sara Powell, 13, seventh grade, Larkspur by CNB