Single gender education might be the way forward but coed interaction is important

According to a study into single sex education vs. coed led by Dr Leonard Sax from Stetson University, FL the performance of boys in single-sex classrooms was higher compared to those in coed classes. Researchers at Stetson University completed a three year pilot at a nearby public elementary school, class sizes, demographics and teacher training were all kept the same the only thing that changed was the gender mix in the classrooms. Results were surprising.
In FCAT test, (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test) boys in coed classes scored only 37% proficient compared to 87% proficient in boys who were in single sex classroom environments. The proficiency of girls in the test also accelerated when they were in single sex classrooms but the difference wasn’t as great as it was in boys. This definitely supports the theory that children learn more effectively in a single sex environment.
Theories that follow this argument conclude that coed classrooms actually encourage gender stereotypes and that single gender classrooms break down these stereotypes, in particular with children’s attitudes toward their subject preferences. Andrew Hunter principal of Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, UK agrees with this point of view, “There is a subtle and invidious pressure towards gender stereotyping in mixed schools. Girls tend to be cautious about going into subjects or activities which are thought of as essentially boys' things, but in boys' schools boys feel free to be themselves and develop, to follow their interests and talents in what might be regarded as non-macho pursuits: music, arts, and drama.”
AAUW an organization that aims to advance equity for women and girls believes that single gender education however can leave girls behind, reinforce problematic stereotypes and increase discrimination. AAUW’s website reads, “Even where programs are established for both boys and girls separately, they have tended to be distinctly unequal, with fewer resources allocated for girls programs.”
In conclusion I think that there is no doubt that single gender education has definitely been proven to have significant, positive effects on the academic abilities of both girls and boys but in particular boys. With this it is easy to see why parents, teachers, schools and government policies might be more geared towards implementing single gender policies. However in my opinion, interaction and communication between genders is surely a vital importance of a child’s education and is something necessary to success in relationships, career and life. Therefore I believe that any single gender education policies enforced need to make sure that the children they concern still get, healthy, vital interaction with the opposite sex.