I came across an article that proses that all boys should start school one year later by default: REDSHIRT THE BOYS

The article comes with lot of interesting information, like:

According to a 2012 Brookings Institution study by Julia Isaacs, for instance, American girls are 14 percentage points more likely than boys to be “school ready” at age 5, controlling for parental characteristics. That’s a bigger gap than the one between rich and poor children, or Black and white children, or those who attend preschool and those who do not. The gap is mostly driven by social and emotional factors, or what social scientists label “noncognitive skills,” rather than academic ones.

or

Once boys begin school, they almost immediately start falling behind girls. A 6-percentage-point gender gap in reading proficiency in fourth grade widens to an 11-percentage-point gap by the end of eighth grade.

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While article fails to mention the systemic discrimination of boys by teachers, it at least acknowledges the feminisation of the teacher profession and how the focus on narrow academics rather than vocational learning puts many boys at a disadvantage. But in the end the article makes a strong argument that "the biggest reason for boys’ classroom struggles is simply that male brains develop more slowly than female brains".

(Could I ask you, the readers, to provide more information on the discrimination and the girl-centric education approach?)

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I know it would be easy to argue that education system should change to accommodate boy's specific needs, but let's be honest, it is not going to happen any time soon. Plus there is also the class dimension:

In the US, only about 6 percent of children waited an extra year, but among summer-born boys whose parents have bachelor’s degrees, the rate was 20 percent in 2010.

and

Affluent parents and elite schools are tackling the issue by giving boys more time. But in fact it is boys from poorer backgrounds who struggle the most in the classroom, and these boys, who could benefit most from the gift of time, are the ones least likely to receive it. Public schools usually follow an industrial model, enrolling children automatically based on their birth date. Administrators in the public system rarely have the luxury of conversations with parents about school readiness.

What do you think?

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PS:

Note this part, where the author apologises for addressing a male issue, when female issues exist too. I suppose he had to do it if he wanted his article to be printed in mainstream media. How sad.

A proposal to give a boost to boys may sound odd to some, given the inequities that many girls and women still face. But I am betting on our ability to think two thoughts at once. There is much still to be done to promote female representation in politics and corporate leadership, for example. But as to education, boys and men are the ones who need the most help. And it’s not an issue only for them. When schools fail boys, those boys grow into men lacking the skills to flourish in the workplace, to be strong partners, or to be good providers for their children. Giving boys the gift of time will help create a better society not just for men, but for women and children too.

By Richard V. Reeves