THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

Saturday, September 30, 1989

Section: LETTERS TOTHE EDITOR

Edition: ONE-SIX

Page: ED

Memo: The Observer Forum

Our Readers` Views

GIRLS CAN SUCCEED IN MATH, SCIENCE

The writer is an 11th-grade student at the North Carolina School of Science and Math in Durham.

An Aug. 12 column asked, ``Why Is It So Hard to Admit That Boys and Girls Differ?`` Everyone agrees that boys and girls differ, but Mona Charen claims that girls will never achieve in math and science because of differences in innate ability.

Recent biochemical research does suggest that hormonal changes in boys and girls may affect verbal and spatial skills, but acculturation must also be considered to get the whole picture. Evidence clearly proves that girls are encouraged to achieve in English and social activities while boys are directed toward interests in math and the sciences.

Why should we allow girls to be taught that they should not excel in mathematics and the sciences? In fact, girls should be shown that they can surpass boys in these areas. Similarly, boys must be encouraged in English and verbal communication.

It is easy to see the affects of acculturation by comparing the United States to other countries where females are not discouraged in the sciences. In the Soviet Union 75 percent of the physicians are female and 44 percent of the engineers are female. This shows that women can indeed compete and succeed. Women have shown their successes in other countries as well.

U.S. researchers have found that girls in single-sex schools have a higher preference for science and math courses than girls in coeducational schools. Girls have scored consistently lower than boys on the math portion of the SAT, as well as other standardized exams, but the majority of studies indicate that these differences can be attributed to differences in math courses taken, which is clearly affected by attitudes about math and science.

Research has also shown that females outperform males on mathematical questions related to feminine situations such as cooking and social interaction, while boys more often succeed on word problems phrased in terms of sports or competition.

I am not suggesting that the SATs are necessarily discriminatory, but simply that girls do have the ability to succeed. Looking at this data, it is evident that females do not lack the innate ability to succeed in math and the sciences.

We must help girls to succeed in math by providing good role models and encouraging females to take more math and science courses, participate in extra-curricular science activities and compete with boys in these areas.

We must realize that columns like Ms. Charen`s merely perpetuate the myth of male superiority and provide an excuse for females who do not achieve in the sciences. I hope scientists, and nonscientists, will work toward the eradication of these misconceptions.

ASHLEY REITER, Charlotte

Illustration: PHOTO

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