Re: girls and computers, was: Gendered Communication

[Karen Kay <karenk -at- NETCOM -dot- COM>]

LaVonna Funkhouser said:
> Persons attracted
> to computer science are often also those attracted to mathematics, and
> boys usually outnumber girls in those classes, too.

I'm reading my mail backwards because I've been out of touch for
a couple of days, so please forgive me if I'm touching on something
that's already been discussed. How can boys outnumber girls in math
classes if math is required through the sophomore year in high
school? (Because you're talking about junior high here, right? Or
are other school districts different from the one I grew up in?)

Also, the connection between math and computers is, IMHO, a false
one. My last course was college algebra which I only passed because
after the murders at Kent State, Ohio State shut down in the middle
of the quarter. Yet I am reasonably well-educated, and when I was
involved in academia felt that my use of computers enhanced the
quality of my professional life. I think most "humanists" feel
that way. But they were discouraged early on from this tool of
the math weenies.

Karen
  karenk -at- netcom -dot- com