The new school year began at Adrian R-III this Fall like other schools in the area, with one exception- grade school boys and girls were separated in core and non-core classes. While the move initially raised the ire of some, after the dust settled, the majority of students and parents agreed that it was a good idea. In the end, only four parents disagreed with the plan and the school put their children into coed classes as required by law.
The district initially decided to make the change based on research that showed students in all boy and all girl environments make better grades and maintain better behavior patterns overall.
However the district recently received a letter from the ACLU requesting that all boy and all girl classes be discontinued, stating it violates Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause. Flipside, the district maintains that gender-specific classes are legal since the program is completely voluntary.
While odds are good the school could win a court case against the ACLU, it has been decided to drop the segregated classes program altogether. The following is a letter to the public from Secondary Principal Chris Shanks:
As most of you already may have heard or read about the Adrian R-III School District received a letter from the ACLU requesting that it discontinue offering classes that are all boy or all girl by the start of the second semester or the ACLU would consider legal action against the district. While the district does not necessarily agree with the ACLU’s legal analysis or conclusions regarding research on the topic, we have decided to stop providing our students with the opportunity to participate in single-sex classes effective at the beginning of next semester. At that time all classes will be separated into coeducational units; except classes during the MS non-core time.
I believe that it would be wasteful and irresponsible to spend finite district funds for legal fees against an organization with unlimited funds and resources. Several area schools continue to offer successful gender specific classroom programs underneath the radar of the ACLU. I believe this is unfortunate for our students because positive results were transpiring and I strongly deem that many of our students and teachers were beginning to reap the benefits of the gender classes.
The only change other than gender-specific classes will be the class period when the class is offered in your child’s schedule. The students will still have the same classes...the order will change and/or possibly the teacher. My staff and I will continue to strive to offer your child what we believe as the best public education possible to prepare them to be responsible, contributing members of society in the very near future.
If you should have any questions please feel free to call me at school or send me an e-mail at chris.shanks@adrian.k12.mo.us.
Sincerely,
Christopher E. Shanks
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