"First of all, it's at least ironic that less than 100 years ago, and for many years before then, men tried to prove, scientifically, that women are just not suited intellectually for everything from voting to physics to legislating. But, once women were given the same opportunities as men to excel, not only did they catch up, it seems from what we see now, they have overcome. Perhaps all this scietific evidence about boys physiologically not being suited for certain types of learning is also hooey? It's hard to see hooey in our time, i think, and it very easy when looking back in history. Perhaps boys have just been relying on their gender to get by, and now they need to adjust to this new competition from girls, and girls' different learning styles. And contrast this with Lawrence Summers' comments of late, about how women just can't do science as well as men. How is it if boys are doing so badly in school that they still manage to have an alleged natural predisposition to science?

Which brings me to my second point. Something strikes me as wrong in this whole "crisis." Boys still get paid more, are hired for better jobs, etc. If boys are doing so badly, why are the top-paying jobs and college faculties mostly made up of men? Perhaps time will catch up with this generation of low-achieving boys and the next generation will be dominated by women...but somehow I think not."

Well said. This "crisis" is just more of the culture wars bullshit.

"And lastly, while the feminists debate whether it is a worthy effort to focus any attention on young males, those of us with sons fume."

Yeah, as if what "feminists" are supposedly debating will determine whether boys are educated. Like they control whether any attention is focused on boys. What rot.

You seem to think your problems can be exetended to all the parents of boys. All this stuff about boys being in "dire straits" or "in crisis" or there being a "war on boys" is overwrought at best. Because girls, by some measures" are doing better in school and now represent a higher proportion of people going to college therefore boys are in crisis and if anybody doesn't understand this they must not be parents or parents of boys? Nonsense. Utter patronizing nonsense. Talk about not giving boys/men any credit. And, what's the cause of this crisis? The "feminization" of education of course. If it wasn't so predictable.... So what it's on the cover of Newsweek? That's because the same people who started this part of the culture war crap are very effective at pushing their agenda. Not a surprise.

I can't join the pity party for Frey either. When the Smoking Gun busted him, he tried to weasel around it. He's had several opportunities to correct the record and, in fact, when this first broke, Oprah supported him and he still weaseled the truth. Sure the interview was uncomfortable to watch at times, but, he has nobody to blame but himself. He's been humliated all the way to the bank.

Apparently Frey is supposed to be "excused" because writing a book is really really hard.

Nevermind that he repeatedly promoted the book as the truth.

Nevermind that significant portions of it wasn't well...true.

Nevermind that when this was pointed out to him he continued to lie.

Nevermind that when his chief supporter and main reason why he sold millions of books (Oprah/Oprah Book Club) originally stood by him he kept lying.

Nevermind that he's made millions of dollars off of the book.

So when he finally gets called on the carpet, he's a victim of mean ole Oprah.

Uh huh.

Violence, starvation, et al has hardly been unique to Africa over the last thousnad years, but, I guess those other places made what you consider acceptable contributions to the arts, literature and sciences so they can be forgiven their sins.

Anyway, I think a "Bigot" label would be more appropriate for you.

Well said. Ignore the stupid responses. The article was childishly mean spirited. Who cares what people buy for their kids so long as they can afford it. As another LW put it, the self righteous envy of some LWs is a bit much.

Bingo. While the review was good and the movie seems harmless enough, get back to me when the pairings in such movies are commonly black, asian, etc. men with white women. That would be "Something New". The white guy and "other" women interracial pairing is quite routine by now.

Where are these "defensive" black guy LWs you're talking about? In this Letters section? Seems like you made them up or exxaggreated their points to make your point. It wasn't necessary though

"Walsh is completely in reality about the torturous dilemma suffered by mothers who are at once madly in love with their children and committed to their work. The world of elite motherhood and the world of high-powered work are still not structured to allow one human being to thrive in both."

Wow. Most of the times the pink elephant sits quietly in the room hoping noboby notices him/her but sometimes, out of a playful boredom, he/she lets out a loud roar and wonders if anybody heard the him/her. "Elite motherhood" and "high powered work", eh? Anyway, "Only in America", the most powerful, wealthy, pampered and spoiled society in human history could such a situation be seen as a "torturous dilema" that's "suffered" by mothers. Oh, the melodrama....