Improving the educational experience of girls is one of the chief goals of the American Association of University Women. A major policy lobbyist in Washington, AAUW promotes Title IX, pay equity, and other important issues, and has drawn widespread attention to problems girls face in school with research-based reports on such topics as sexual harassment, tech savvy for girls, and single-gender education. Jackie Woods has been a leader in education all her life, including serving as community college liaison head at the U.S. Department of Education and AAUW’s  executive director from 2000-2004. Despite her impressive pedigree, Woods is a warm and down-to-earth woman whose very real concern for girls shone forth during her 2002 interview with Daughters.

The good news
The good news about girls today is that, first, they are attending school and staying in school in greater numbers, both in K–12 and college. In fact, over 58 percent of our college students today are women. Second, we have made great strides in the math and science gender gap (though we still have a way to go). And third, awareness of the needs of girls and women has grown in the lay population.

Nevertheless, we can’t rest on our laurels just yet. We still don’t have total equity. And the challenge is going to be keeping the equity issue on the radar screen for education leaders on all levels. The most important issues now still center around access to higher education and certain professions. I feel strongly that some of the people influencing our girls’ choices are still imposing their own sexist biases and opinions on those choices. It’s critically important that teachers, counselors and others in positions of power are giving objective opinions to our kids. Our counselors, especially, are extremely influential people. So we need to put resources and training to better academic counseling. Counselors also need to know how to handle the social issues that also affect kids today. We’ve got issues now—such as AIDS, drugs, gambling, sexual harassment, and abuse—that we are seeing in larger numbers than ever before.

Reducing harassment
Harassment is so prevalent in our schools. It’s overwhelming, the number of people who come to me with their stories. I’ve had camera people at press conferences pull me aside and tell me long stories about things that have happened to their daughters in school. And I’m talking harassment based on weight, size, gender, color, religion, class—you name it. Parents feel they have nowhere to go for help. Schools too often still tell them “boys will be boys,” or “girls will be girls.” If they complain to the perpetrator’s parents, those parents are often highly offended, saying, ‘Don’t tell me anything bad about my child.’ Too often parents have little recourse. They wonder, ‘Where can I go to get the help I need?’ Focusing on harassment will improve the health of our schools and communities. For many young people who act out in schools— including most of the school shooters— harassment is one of the roots of their problems. We as a country can’t afford to ignore it.

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