Gender graduation inequity is troubling

Until the early 1970s, many women who went on to college or university education experiences were commonly said to be pursuing "Mrs." degrees instead of B.A. or B.S. degrees. That expression implied that the only reason females pursued higher education was to improve their odds of finding a suitable mate.

The passage of Title IX and its federal mandates in public education and the accompanying changes of cultural attitudes regarding gender equity have truly worked a revolution in the education of young women. By many estimates, the college class of 2013 (this year's high school seniors' will have a graduation gender-ratio of 60 percent female and 40 percent male.

That would be well and good if that were the current ratio of male vs. female population. But it is not. According to the U.S. Department of Census, the male population of America in the 18 to 24 year age group is approximately 14.8 million, and the female population numbers approximately 14 million. These numbers mean that there has been a complete reversal of gender achievement in higher education.

Whatever the causes of this new disparity might be, the result is certainly not desirable. In the growing global economy, post secondary education is becoming even more important than it was purported to be to the "Sputnik" generation. The U.S. economy will not be able to compete with the emerging nations of the world in this free trade environment for unskilled and semi-skilled labor.

Even the "macho" American male's legendary ability to work hard will not be sufficient to compete with those nations emerging into modern economic models, whose working classes will work longer for less money in less desirable conditions. Additionally, here at home, the prospect of a well-educated female population competing in the social and cultural arena with an under-educated male population has the potential for unhealthy results.

Here in Montana, our educational achievement numbers reflect the national trends. Unfortunately, in my opinion, we also have an additional burden. Throughout our long "Treasure State" history, much of our economic prosperity has been obtainable through hard physical work demanding little if any post secondary education skills.

But that is no longer true. The great trilogy of Montana's prosperity, logging, agriculture and mining, will not sustain a growing standard of living for our burgeoning population. World market resource competition and increasing environmental concerns will effectively limit the resource extraction industries that have been the foundation of previous generations of Montanan prosperity. But the mindset that good old-fashioned hard work will be enough persists in the minds of many young Montana males. We must overcome this attitude.

As Montana enters the 21st century, it would not be prudent to ignore the growing numbers of young males who will be undereducated for the modern global economy. It would also be unwise to allow a society to develop that has a disparity of either gender in the ranks of educated and professional careers.

Just as those supporters of Title IX proclaimed in 1972, gender inequity in educational achievement is un-American. Undoubtedly there are a variety of other reasons for this phenomenon. That can be the subject of further discussion. But all Montanans must address this situation and political, social and educational leaders will have to focus on solutions quickly. Montana and America cannot afford to lose a generation of disaffected and alienated young males. It is not "macho" to be poor and under-educated.

John Fuller is former member of the Montana State Board of Public Education (2001-2008) and is retiring in June from Flathead High School after 38 years of teaching.