Gender Differences in Second-Level Schooling

This thesis is concerned with gender differences in Irish secondlevel schooling. The problems generated by this type of genderdifferentiation are identified in the maintenance of sex-stereotyped career choices, the status associated with each sex in the labour force, the division of labour in the home and the contribution of the sexes to the general construction of knowledge. The extent to which gender differences exist in schools and in school-related activities is established, and it is shown that considerable variation exists between boys’ and girls’ subject choices and career expectations. It is also revealed that boys’ and girls’ extracurricular activities tend to be determined on the basis of their sex. It is subsequently shown that both sexes perceive and reject the school’s attempt to channel them into sex-stereotyped roles; the extent of this rejection is limited to verbal disagreement as the pupils have limited opportunity to express overt resistance. Finally, the findings indicate that the gender differences in the pupils’ behaviour and attitudes can be attributed to the influence of the home and the peer-group. It is discovered that the pupils do not perceive this influence as readily as they perceive gender-differentiation in the school