Despite being behind at every stage of education, in almost every area, and in every country in the west (with a few exceptions), the world is yet to fully wake up to what is happening to boys in school. Instead – We blame boys for not applying themselves, expecting them to sit still and read quietly for hours every day, within an educational system that is simply not designed for them. And so these frustrated, bored and bemused boys disengage, misbehave, fall behind, and drop out; to the point that, by the time it comes to university, they are outnumbered by girls 3:2. The systemic failure of boys is beyond doubt, and yet people don’t want to hear it… Until, that is, they have a son of their own, and they see the tragic tale of boys’ educational underachievement play out in real time. And this leaves us with a bizarre contradiction. If you ask Americans: are they more worried about their sons or daughters, every group, men, women, liberals and conservatives, says “our sons”. But ask them if they are more worried about girls or boys, then you’ll see liberals flip, with more concern for “girls”. Yup they are worried for their sons, but less so for ‘boys’… Why is that? And is every boy not someone else’s son? What do you think? ~ Brookings report 

2026-10-28