by Apurva Mahajan ‘22

Despite Sherwood’s efforts at promoting gender equality in academic subject areas, the percentages of boys and girls often significantly varies in upper-level STEM and humanities courses.
These courses are different from others as students choose to be in these classes out of their own volition as upperclassmen, and they are usually not required to take them. Overall, there are more boys enrolled in STEM classes, while there are more girls in humanities.

In a Warrior survey of 120 students in higher-level courses, opinions are mixed on whether the number of enrollment per gender affects experiences. According to one surveyed student, “I feel like there is definitely a disproportionate lack of girls in higher level STEM classes, especially engineering. These disparities certainly contribute to the atmospheres of the classes and Engineering clubs.”
An AP Computer Science student notes that she’s treated differently by others. “I’ve had male peers explain basic math to me, completely unprompted, or dismiss my ideas more quickly than they would the other guys. It’s frustrating to be treated like I don’t deserve to be there as much as everyone else just because I’m female,” she wrote.

Contrarily, some students didn’t feel that gender affected their education but that it was other factors. “I believe that there’s no discrimination on the basis of sex but there is judgment if you don’t know how to answer a type of problem or solution,” said an Engineering Design and Development (EDD) student. Another EED student commented on the survey, “It’s rarely mentioned. No one seems to care out loud.”
Although boys outnumber girls in STEM courses, girls make up the majority of students in higher-level English and social studies. “There are definitely way more girls in my [AP Literature] class, and there are always more girls in my higher level English classes, but I don’t think the boys feel excluded or anything. There are just less of them,” said one student.

The Engineering Department provides career resources, opportunities to students, and often boasts an equal learning environment. Although in entry-level engineering classes the proportion of girls and boys is pretty even, the percentage of girls in the highest level course is only 30 percent. The engineering teachers talk to the girls in these courses about jobs and scholarships in the field, according to technology resource teacher Jason Daigle. “There are a lot of programs out there, such as the Women in Tech mentorship program,” said Daigle. “We know that when you have a more diverse group of people, you have a more diverse group of thoughts.”