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New Study: Making Black Girls "Ladylike" Discourages Achievement?

WASHINGTON (August 7, 2007) --  A new study shows that teachers tend to view 
the behavior of black girls as not "ladylike" and therefore focus 
disciplinary action on encouraging behaviors like passivity, deference, and 
bodily control at the expense of curiosity, outspokenness, and assertiveness.

Based on two years' observation at a Texas middle school, the Ohio University 
study found that class- and race-based assumptions of black femininity made 
teachers more likely to discourage behaviors and characteristics that lead to 
class involvement and educational success.  The teachers' actions appeared to 
be less the result of conscious racism or sexism than an unwitting tendency 
to view the behavior of black girls through a different lens than that of 
their peers.

Among the findings of the study: black girls who actively sought out the 
positive attention of their teachers in class by asking questions were 
reprimanded by teachers, while boys and girls of other racial and ethnic 
groups behaving similarly were rarely disciplined in the same manner for 
their actions.

"As teachers, we are taught to encourage student curiosity and confidence 
because they're great indicators of academic engagement. If our own 
unconscious stereotypes are prompting teachers to 'correct' those behaviors 
in young black girls, school systems need to look carefully at including this 
problem of teachers' perceptions and assumptions in their diversity 
training," said Taneika Taylor, director of the Gender Public Advocacy 
Coalition's Children As They Are program.

One reason why educators might emphasize "ladylike" behavior unfavorable to 
academic success has to do with their perception of black female students as 
prematurely adult -- particularly with regard to their sexuality.

"A lot of the females, especially Black females here, try to have some 
authority over me in class. I say to them 'Uh-uh—I'm the only adult in here.' 
But they think they are adults too..." said Ms. Duncan, a teacher at the 
observed school.

The study found that many teachers described black female students as too 
sexually provocative in dress and behavior, a finding consistent with a 2004 
study which found that girls of color are pre-tracked for underachievement 
because of teacher beliefs that they are hypersexual and willing to invest 
more energy in their appearance than in academic pursuits.
 
"Young girls need to be encouraged by educators and parents to achieve and 
explore, not to curb their enthusiasm for life and learning in order to be 
'proper ladies'," said Taylor.

Children As They Are supports parents and educators in creating environments 
that are safe for all children to express themselves authentically and 
explore all of their interests, talents, and feelings -- whether or not 
they're considered "right" for boys or girls. For more information, visit 
www.gpac.org/cata.

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