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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think girls are being treated unfairly?

121 replies

glassankles · 30/03/2022 16:03

I am not a mother, but my younger sister has made me aware of an issue in her class that's upsetting her and by extension me.

My sister is 11 years old and is in 5th class (UK year 6). For some time now her male classmates have been taken out of class to receive extra maths lessons by another teacher. These lessons focus on more advanced topics such as algebra and geometry, while the girls are instructed to read books. When the teacher enters the classroom apparently she calls for the "buachailli" to go with her which is the Irish word for boys. This is in addition to the maths the whole class does.

My sister is a bit irritated at this because she wants to study maths at higher level in secondary school and feels she is now at a bit of a disadvantage. There is no plan to give the girls the same extra tuition that the boys are getting. AIBU to think this is ridiculous and to politely take it up with the school?

OP posts:
sauvignonblancplz · 30/03/2022 16:07

Is the support being provided because the boys are in need of extra support ? Or is it they are being given advanced more challenging work?

Skelligs · 30/03/2022 16:09

Take it up with the school, they aren’t allowed to do that.

Nicholethejewellery · 30/03/2022 16:12

Boys are usually behind girls (on average) in maths, so it makes sense to give them extra tuition. Either to catch up or to help them get ahead as the girls will naturally catch up over time. The aim will be to ensure that by the time they leave fulltime education, boys and girls are of as close to equal standard as possible.

LibrariesGiveUsPower · 30/03/2022 16:15

Are they catching up or being given harder work?

DanielRicciardosSmile · 30/03/2022 16:18

I think you need to check with the school exactly what the situation is before taking it up with them.

Original poster
glassankles · 30/03/2022 16:18

@sauvignonblancplz

No, the lessons are more advanced and challenging content such as algebra and geometry in addition to their regular maths classes which are apparently focusing on long division.

OP posts:
Aprilx · 30/03/2022 16:20

I find it hard to believe there would be such blatant discrimination, so would certainly want to ensure it is not extra help for struggling students in the first instance.

Original poster
glassankles · 30/03/2022 16:22

@LibrariesGiveUsPower

Harder work, the other kids haven't touched on any of the subjects the boys are learning during the extra classes.

OP posts:
AnotherForumUser · 30/03/2022 16:23

From your comments that For some time now her male classmates have been taken out of class to receive extra maths lessons by another teacher. These lessons focus on more advanced topics such as algebra and geometry, while the girls are instructed to read books. It looks like the boys are getting extra, advanced tuition. Definitely take this up with the school. Just because some of their pupils happen to be female doesn't mean they cannot deal with more challenging maths topics. It is utterly sexist to favour boys this way and it must be called out. I'd also take this up with the local education authority and your MP too.

PeachCottonTree · 30/03/2022 16:23

Is it all the boys or a group of boys?

bravotango · 30/03/2022 16:24

Boys are usually behind girls (on average) in maths, so it makes sense to give them extra tuition. Either to catch up or to help them get ahead as the girls will naturally catch up over time.

Hmm
skgnome · 30/03/2022 16:24

Seems weird that they target them to the boys only
Nothing wrong with speaking with the school for clarification - there’s a small chance that a group of boys is more advanced than the rest of the group and that’s the group that’s being taken out for harder work - and even if your sister likes maths she may not yet be at that level
There’s also a small chance that it’s being unfairly targeted
Her mum/dad/carer needs to talk to the school and figure it out

seadreams · 30/03/2022 16:26

I did extra maths classes when I was in 5th and 6th class and it was a mixed group. Is it all the boys in the class or just a group of them? If it's just a small group, them all being boys could just be a coincidence (unlikely) or is it all the boys in the class? If its all the boys then I would 100% complain. Its the kind of story that would do well on the radio too.

Sirzy · 30/03/2022 16:29

So it’s all the boys take out and all the girls left? I would certainly like be questioning that as it’s highly unlikely the ability split in the last is so black and white.

seadreams · 30/03/2022 16:31

Luckily the teachers in secondary aren't going to expect people to have done the subjects before and are going to start from scratch regardless so it won't impede on her ability to do higher, for junior cert at least. It will only cause an issue if the secondary school is small and most students come from the same primary school and the maths classes are streamed. That doesn't mean its not grossly unfair though!

irishfarmer · 30/03/2022 16:31

That is really really weird. I would be getting your mam to question it with the school. It seem super odd.

Also did you sister really say she plans on sitting higher maths for the leaving? I don't think deciding what subjects to do for the leaving cert is something many 11yr old think about!

Moonface123 · 30/03/2022 16:34

In my experiance its for the higher achievers, this happened to my son, not sure if his group was mixed or not , l suppose its for whoever is achieving highest grades, but when he went up to secondary he literally spent the first year repeating what he' d already been taught in primary, it wasn't just maths it was for most subjects.

StripeyDeckchair · 30/03/2022 16:34

I'd phone the school & ask for an explanation.
This looks like sex discrimination which is illegal & I wouldn't hesitate in telling them that.

Sally872 · 30/03/2022 16:35

If all the boys are chosen for more challenging maths then absolutely take it up with the school. It does seem unlikely though so I would find out some more facts first.

Original poster
glassankles · 30/03/2022 16:35

@PeachCottonTree @seadreams @Sirzy

After asking her, apparently 2 of the 18 boys in the class don't go. So not as bad as I originally thought.

OP posts:
Original poster
glassankles · 30/03/2022 16:38

@irishfarmer

Haha it's because she's already decided that she wants to drop to ordinary level Irish as soon as she can! She has older siblings in secondary school so she's used to hearing moaning about subjects.

OP posts:
DysmalRadius · 30/03/2022 16:39

@Nicholethejewellery

Boys are usually behind girls (on average) in maths, so it makes sense to give them extra tuition. Either to catch up or to help them get ahead as the girls will naturally catch up over time. The aim will be to ensure that by the time they leave fulltime education, boys and girls are of as close to equal standard as possible.
Even if that means that the girls aren't fulfilling their potential? Surely the goal should be that each individual is working at their optimal standard, not holding the girls back in the hope that they 'catch up naturally'. Is this really how educational achievement targets are structured?
godmum56 · 30/03/2022 16:39

are you in loco parentis to your sister?

AnotherForumUser · 30/03/2022 16:39

@irishfarmer

That is really really weird. I would be getting your mam to question it with the school. It seem super odd.

Also did you sister really say she plans on sitting higher maths for the leaving? I don't think deciding what subjects to do for the leaving cert is something many 11yr old think about!

It was back in the 70s but at 8 I decided I was going to do a Maths A level. Never changed my mind. Loved the subject. And for my Maths A level 10 years after my declaration to bemused parents.
seadreams · 30/03/2022 16:40

Nah that's still pretty bad. I would imagine those boys are particularly bad at maths due to being dyspraxic or something similar. There is no chance in hell that all those boys are better at maths than at least some of the girls. If I remember correctly my small group was mostly girls! I'd be absolutely fuming. What are the girls (+ the 2 left out lads) doing in the meantime?