In Link Byfield's article "If Girls Can Succeed Only at the Expense of Boys, Maybe We Need Segregated Schools" the author explores the changing statistics of academic success between boys and girls in the school system. This essay seeks to critically assess Byfield's flaws in his argument. He argues that both genders would academically perform better if separated by gender. He examines the latest results from the School Achievement Indicators Program (SAIP). Link Byfield notes that while females are still lagging behind boys in reading and writing, they have made progress in math and science. Byfield wonders whether girls' advancements must come at the expense of guys and expresses worries about whether this reflects progress or regression. He mentions previous critiques of the educational system's preference for boys and offers the idea of sex-based classroom segregation as a solution. Byfield's primary arguments are that there are gender differences in academic performance, that boys' performance is dropping, and that divided classes could be a feasible solution. …show more content…
He bases his whole paper on statistics from the National School Achievement Indicators Program (SAIP), conducted cooperatively by Statistics Canada and the Council of Ministers of Education. To provide an example, he claims that “The number of girls graduating is rising, to the point where there are now more girls finishing than boys” (Byfield, par. 3. Then, the sand is sanded. This piece of context and many others provide no other resources to back up his statements. Not only is the SAIP the only evidence he provides, but Byfield is not confident and agrees it is “far from conclusive” towards the subject (Byfield, par. 1). 2). The adage of the adage. He offers his own and his wife's personal experiences in school as data which is not enough when thinking critically to solve an