News

Greater choice gender-segregates gym class

Claire Quigley, Opinions Editor • January 31, 2014

Gone are the days of boys and girls huddling together under multicolored parachutes, forming alliances in the cutthroat world of freeze tag, and sacrificing themselves for fellow minnows. These epic displays of valor have ceased to exist beyond the doors of elementary school gyms.

Today, Staples’ physical education program inadvertently segregates classes by gender, according to members of the junior class.

This year, juniors can choose the majority of their day-to-day activities. As a result of this change, students say they have noticed that girls choose activities like yoga or badminton, while boys opt for basketball and dodgeball.

Starting goalie of the varsity lacrosse team Emma Boland ’15 says that even the most athletic girls in her class often choose the activity that involves less physical contact or effort. However, Boland said she does not think the gender segregation is bad “because people get to do what they like to do.”

This belief is shared by physical education teacher Nicole Ross, who said she personally hasn’t noticed any serious separation within her gym classes. “I’m indifferent to how it works out as long as the students choose the activity that they want to do. If they get to make their own choice, then hopefully they’ll be more willing to participate,” Ross said.

Others, however, feel as if the gender segregation is an issue.

Paige Murray ’15, who has committed to Virginia Tech for lacrosse, wishes that the gender segregation within her class did not exist.

“I’m perfectly capable of playing alongside the boys in my class. I really do wish both sexes participated in the same activities. I’m an athletic person yet feel as if I’m stuck doing yoga because I don’t want to be the only girl playing football,” Murray said.

Although gender segregation would not be an issue if both sexes were forced to participate in the same activities, members of the physical education department say they are happy with how the junior classes are performing. They have found increased participation from students who choose the activities they are most interested in, according to Ross.

About the Contributors

Claire Quigley, Opinions Editor

Claire Quigley ’14 is an opinions editor on Inklings Newspaper. She has many hobbies that include dance, lacrosse, and is an active member of many clubs. Claire’s main focus for the past three years has been giving back to both her own community, and others as well. She has been apart of her church’s youth club for almost three years with many of her friends. This past summer, she had the amazing opportunity to help the less fortunate in the Dominican Republic. Claire and her youth group helped build houses, and teach many children who do not have the opportunity for an education speak English. “Those 10 days changed my life, I felt great each and every day because I knew I was making a difference.” said Quigley ’14. Aside from traveling to the Dominican, Claire and her youth group have also helped locally around Connecticut. She has helped build gardens, feed the homeless, and raise money for causes she believes in. She has put in many hours towards her youth group, and truly believes they are helping the world one project at a time. Besides Claire being a part of her youth group outside of school, she also enjoys writing both outside and inside school. This year Claire will be finishing her third year on Inklings and is excited to write many articles for both the paper and the web. Claire’s favorite article she wrote was “Where do I upload my Pictures?”

Olivia Crosby, Creative Director

When Olivia Crosby ’15 was a freshman, she signed up to make graphics for Inklings, but was never asked to help out. She came in three separate times that year, but still was never asked to join the staff. But, later in the year her talents became noticed. “I took intro to journalism, and during the copyright unit we had to find a legal graphic for a story; I was way too lazy to find something that was legal, so I just made my own. After that Inklings asked me to join,” Crosby said. Crosby’s persistence and drive has allowed her to evolve from staff artist during her freshman and sophomore years, to creative director junior year, to her current position as graphics editor. While Crosby primarily draws for Inklings, she prefers making pottery, which she says helps relieve stress. When Crosby can’t be found in the art or Inklings rooms, she is often found doing flips and twists into the Staples pool. After years of gymnastics and multiple injuries, as a freshman, Crosby transferred her skills from the gym to the pool and joined the Staples diving team. “I love being on the team,” Crosby said. “It’s exciting and so thrilling knowing how hard you'll push yourself even if you don't think you can do it.”