Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on June 21, 2006, to establish that the state Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act does not prohibit public school districts from establishing and maintaining a single-gender school, class, or program within a school if a comparable school, class, or program were made available to pupils of each gender. Under current law, the Act prohibits an educational institution from discriminating against a person because of religion, race, color, national origin, or sex

The vote was 80 in favor, 26 opposed and 1 not voting

(House Roll Call 800 at House Journal 66)

Click here to view bill details.

Wasn't this concept thrown out by Brown vs Board of Education? I don't see how a public school would be able to say that classroom opportunities would be separate but equal for separate sexes, but not be for separate races. If a private schools wants to do this, fine, but I don't think it would pass muster for a public school to do so.

Rep. Kathleen Law, having reserved the right to explain her protest against the passage of the bill, made the following statement: "Mr. Speaker and members of the House: I voted No on House Bill 4264, 6247 and SB1296 because separate but equal has been proven time and again to result in discrimination. Single-sex schools would be inherently unequal, and thus unconstitutional. Title IX currently permits select single-sex classes ­ in physical education or to remedy past discrimination for example; it doesn't allow schools to segregate students arbitrarily. What is needed is a thoughtful examination of the diverse single-sex schools that already exist, to see what works and what doesn't before ushering in single sex schools. To improve performance, schools should focus more on academics, discipline, smaller classes, more parental involvement and better teacher training, rather than splitting up boys and girls. Additionally, without the opposite sex, students are denied a learning environment representative of real life. This deprives them of the opportunity to develop skills for interaction with peers regardless of gender in their work environment and fosters ignorance and prejudice towards the other gender. Supporters point to the successes of single-sex private schools when justifying the move for single sex public schools; but many educators attribute much of the academic successes of these private schools to their smaller class sizes, engaged parents, well-trained teachers, and strong academic emphasis. It is for these reasons that I voted NO on House Bill 4264, 6247 and SB1296."

Hurry up already, though.

Public and private. We just need to catch up.

HAVE done this, but it HASN'T been a raging success. in fact, one state that did it, louisiana, has STOPPED doing it because it hasn't improved scores, (or self esteem, or bullying, or boys bothering girls, or whatever). all it has done is separate students, and made them MORE likely to 'hook up' in the after school hours. i know i tried like hell to find me some female companionship during my years in high school, to the detriment of my g.p.a.

You have MY SUPPORT. I can not encourage enough a partnership between the school and local American Assoication of University Women groups in the girls schools. It would be a good way to get Civil Liberty folks off your back and to be a winner when it comes to assessing and accountability time. I wish you the VERY best of luck and am VERY proud of you.

While some folks here seem to be reminded of the old "separate but equal" mantra from the bad old days of racial segregation, this is NOT the same thing. I've seen several studies that show that same sex classes work. Despite what some people whould have you believe, Boys and girls have basic differences. They develop at different rates for one thing. These studies show that both sexes do better when classes are customized to respond to these differences. No one argues that our schools are in trouble and that some outside-the-box thinking is needed. Yet when such thinking is proposed, the naysayers come out to defend the status-quo. Well, to get all Dr. Phil about it, how's that workin'? I say that this bill be passed and let the schools take their best shot. Then, in a few years when we have some real world data, we can revisit the issue.

I will be challenging this if no one else brings suit under the 14th amendment and various other supporting laws that prevent segregation and "diversity." Public schools are for everyone, no matter the race, sex, etc. If an exception teacher exists in one of the schools and not the other, it also conflicts with the purpose of SCHOOLS OF CHOICE. (Our legislature is moronic.) If one can use race as a compelling state interest to justify affirmative action *noting diversity*, one can justify that it is a compelling state interest to not burden the tax payers for splitting up the sexes in public schools and stifling diversity. This type of waste and segregation naturally would STIFLE "diversity" as claimed by liberals. It is clear that liberals have a dual standard of how to treat women and men and boys and girls.

Superb! Looking forward to a bright future in Michigan for both sexes.

2006 House Bill 6247 (Allow single-gender public school or class ) (House Roll Call 800) Passed in the House (80 to 26) on June 28, 2006. [History, Amendments & Comments] The vote was 80 in favor, 26 opposed, and 1 not voting (House Roll Call 800 at House Journal 66) [Comment on this vote | View others' comments] Vote Support Oppose Not Voting Undecided Legislators (Democrat) 63% 36% 0% 49 total votes Legislators (Republican) 84% 13% 1% 58 total votes What do you think? Support Oppose Undecided (logon required) The following legislators supported 2006 House Bill 6247 (Allow single-gender public school or class ): Accavitti (D) Acciavatti (R) Adamini (D) Amos (R) Ball (R) Baxter (R) Bennett (D) Bieda (D) Booher (R) Brandenburg (R) Brown (D) Byrnes (D) Casperson (R) Caul (R) Cheeks (D) Clack (D) Clemente (D) Condino (D) Cushingberry (D) DeRoche (R) Dillon (D) Elsenheimer (R) Emmons (R) Espinoza (D) Farrah (D) Gaffney (R) Garfield (R) Gillard (D) Gleason (D) Gonzales (D) Gosselin (R) Green (R) Hansen (R) Hildenbrand (R) Hood (D) Hoogendyk (R) Huizenga (R) Hummel (R) Hune (R) Hunter (D) Jones (R) Kooiman (R) Law, David (R) Leland (D) Lemmons, III (D) Lemmons, Jr. (D) Lipsey (D) Marleau (R) McConico (D) McDowell (D) Meyer (R) Moolenaar (R) Moore (R) Mortimer (R) Newell (R) Nitz (R) Nofs (R) Palmer (R) Palsrok (R) Pastor (R) Pavlov (R) Pearce (R) Proos (R) Robertson (R) Rocca (R) Sak (D) Shaffer (R) Sheltrown (D) Smith, Virgil (D) Stahl (R) Stakoe (R) Steil (R) Stewart (R) Taub (R) Tobocman (D) Van Regenmorter (R) Vander Veen (R) Walker (R) Waters (D) Wojno (D) The following legislators opposed 2006 House Bill 6247 (Allow single-gender public school or class ): Anderson (D) Angerer (D) Byrum (D) Caswell (R) Donigan (D) Drolet (R) Farhat (R) Hopgood (D) Kahn (R) Kolb (D) LaJoy (R) Law, Kathleen (D) Mayes (D) Meisner (D) Miller (D) Murphy (D) Plakas (D) Polidori (D) Schuitmaker (R) Smith, Alma (D) Spade (D) Vagnozzi (D) Ward (R) Wenke (R) Williams (D) Zelenko (D) The following legislators did not vote on 2006 House Bill 6247 (Allow single-gender public school or class ): Sheen (R)

I think this because it would give schools a chance to share careers with girls that boys normally do.

there wouldn't be less boys and girls forming friendships.

I am worried boys and girls won't be friends anymore.

you could still have friendships with boys at your school or the girls at your school.

parents should get a choice and maybe they don't want their kids to go to school with the opposite gender.

you don't have to go to the same school to get a good education.

concentrate on the future careers. They will not get married for MANY years, so they could focus on studies.

what fantasy world are you living in? if given their 'druthers', they would focus on everything BUT studies. and the absence of the opposite gender will heighten these phenomenon.

If they dont want there children to go to a school with the opposite gender present then the parents should send them to a private school, where you have the availibility of single gender schools already. Public schools should stay diverse. Thats why there are private and public schools.