Separate but equal: single gender classrooms

What do you think they mean by "academic acumen"?

Insight into the purpose of academics?

Doesn't that change throughout one's life? Shouldn't it?

It seems a bit unfair for the writer to suggest that lack of academic achievement is based on bad habits and that once you're out of elementary school you've already blown your chance.

Off to read the whole article.....

I think the reasons for and against segregation change as you age. In elementary school, you separate the more mature, socially advanced girls from the more rambuctious boys. In high school, you reduce social pressure. I think middle school is the one place where boys and girls generally compete and cooperate as equals. The boys have reached a maturity level that allows them to function in co-ed teams and the social pressure has not reached the point where image is more important than accomplishment. I think the school you describe where the classes are single sex would be a great idea for a high school. It seems like that would be the best of both worlds.

What you describe is reasons for and against segregation as a function of the environment type - and not, as you state, as function of age. Segregation as function of environment is legal in the case of segregation by race in prisons - at least in California, where blacks, whites, and hispanics are placed in different rooms, and if at all possible also different buildings. Supposed to keep violence down, or something; segregation by sex applies to all prisons, far as I know, so I'm assuming that's legal. Still don't know how it's legal for schools to separate by sex (except phys.ed.) but not by race - why can prisons do it?

pros, kids are "somehow" more controlled as teachers don't have to cater different genders which "rarely" causes better learning experience as single gender "especially guys" tend to act more aggressively and boldly in a male dominant environment than an environment where females are present.
Cons, kids will grow up not knowing much about the limits governing a relation between a guy and a girl, single gender schools tend to have higher bullying rate and kids in such schools might develop a gayish or bisexual habits.