School Challenged Over Single-Sex Teaching

Boys get bright light and girls get dim rooms because ... somebody forgot to recycle the Dick and Jane books?

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of West Virginia today sued a middle school they contend harms the education of students by illegally forcing them into same-sex classes and using discredited sex-based teaching methods.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of a mother and her daughters, contends Van Devender Middle School implemented a curriculum that relies on faulty science and outmoded stereotypes. For example, the boys' classrooms are more brightly lit and teachers permit boys to move about during class to exert energy, on the theory that boys see better in bright light. In contrast, girls are to sit quietly and share feelings in dimly lit rooms.