The various post-secondary educational and career aspirations of high school females in one public versus one private school setting in the Mid-west

Abstract

While there has been extensive research on gender bias in school environments and curriculum, there is limited information on the prevalence of gender bias comparing public versus private secondary schools. Therefore, through observation and interviews, data was collected to compare the quality of gender bias present in one public and one private high school in the mid west, and the effect this bias has on the future goals of a small group of high school senior females. Field research included teacher/student observation and informal interviews with high school senior females concerning their perception of gender bias in their school environment and concerning their goals after high school. The results suggest that while there was gender bias in both educational institutions, it is different in nature. Findings also indicated that there was little difference between the post-secondary goals and aspirations of high school senior females when comparing one public and one private school in the mid-west.

While there has been extensive research on gender bias in school environments and curriculum, there is limited information on the prevalence of gender bias comparing public versus private secondary schools. Therefore, through observation and interviews, data was collected to compare the quality of gender bias present in one public and one private high school in the mid west, and the effect this bias has on the future goals of a small group of high school senior females. Field research included teacher/student observation and informal interviews with high school senior females concerning their perception of gender bias in their school environment and concerning their goals after high school. The results suggest that while there was gender bias in both educational institutions, it is different in nature. Findings also indicated that there was little difference between the post-secondary goals and aspirations of high school senior females when comparing one public and one private school in the mid-west.