Why Are Rich, White Girls Struggling in Math?
“At the other end of the affluence spectrum, a near-opposite phenomenon is playing out: In poor communities of color, namely those where families are predominantly black or Latino, girls on average outperformed boys in math by one-fifth of a grade level, in addition to significantly outperforming them in reading. The new study lends credence to claims that boys in low-income black or Hispanic districts deserve some of the closest attention as policymakers, educators, and parents strive to eliminate gender disparities. “We focus so much on female children’s opportunities in STEM, which is really important and has a large potential economic consequence,” Fahle said. “But we also have to realize that boys’ opportunities are constrained by gender, too.””