Union County middle school considering offering single gender classrooms

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Leaders of a Union County middle school are considering offering single-gender classrooms.

Channel 9 learned the principal of Marvin Ridge Middle School is talking to sixth-graders about the proposal Monday and has already sent information home to parents.

Barbara Magee’s son, a sixth-grader at Marvin Ridge Middle School, came home with one of those notes.

“I hadn’t heard it was anything in discussion, so I was surprised,” Magee told Channel 9.

A school district spokesperson declined to give an interview, saying the proposal is still early in the process, but told Channel 9 the principal is getting feedback on the option for upcoming seventh-graders.

“My knee-jerk reaction is I’m sort of shocked, because it seems like more of an old school approach,” said Jim McDermott, whose son is in eighth grade at the middle school.

McDermott’s son won’t be a part of any potential change. Still, he was surprised he hadn’t heard about the proposal.

“To me it’s interesting. I don’t know if I can agree with it or disagree with it, but I’d like to know what prompted it,” he said.

Eyewitness News anchor Liz Foster asked school district spokesperson Tahira Stalberte what prompted the discussion. Stalberte said it’s an idea to strengthen student engagement.

The National Education Association says research suggests boys in single-gender classrooms are more successful, and girls who learn in all-girl environments are believed to be more comfortable answering questions and sharing opinions.

That’s exactly what Magee is hoping for.

“I don’t think it’s a bad thing. I think it could only be positive,” she said.

Stalberte said as of now, the initiative is only being discussed for Marvin Ridge Middle School and not district-wide. She added the school board will likely give input. Meetings for parents and school board members to give their opinion on the proposal have not been set.

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