Boys and girls sharing a classroom

Silver Member Joined: May 20 2009 Posts: 510 Location: CT

I'd like to know what everyone thinks about this scenario, and I'd ideally like to hear from women from all facets of Jewish society, so please identify where you are coming from in your answer (MO, chasidish etc.)
My daughter will be in seventh grade this year, and will have an english teacher who also teaches the seventh grade boys. for this reason, the students will circulate out of the same classroom -- the boys will use it from lunch until recess, then leave to recess. after recess, the girls will use it for the remainder of the day. this is a yeshiva in a yeshivish OOT community which is almost completely separate, with the boys on a different floor for every other class of the day. these girls and boys live in this small community and many are neighbors or relatives. in fact, some were in a combined class years ago when the school opened.
some of the parents are bothered by this possibility of increased contact and one thinks that it is completely inappropriate and makes the school look bad. What do you think?

It's all cultural. For some, it's not done (though I read of co-ed chedarim, once upon a time!). For some, NON co-ed is not done.

Seventh grade here is really kiddish. Opposite gender is still very much "gross" Laughing

I wouldn't see a problem, though I do prefer not co-ed education. Nothing will happen if the homes are still against co-ed friendships, and friendships, especially with opposite gender in a frum setting, just don't happen so easily even in (many) co-ed contexts.

I would be identified as strict MO or plain frum depending on who you ask.
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"You will have many many children and make successful shidduchim beh", rebbetzin Esther Jungreis
"It's all cultural, disagree respectfully", me

I think it's no worse than what already exists in that school, but to feel more secure, have a staff member oversee the departures and arrivals. Do the boys and girls share bus rides to and from school? In that case they are already quite mingled and this makes little difference.

Some of our kids go to a Chareidi school where the older girls occupy the second floor and the older girls occupy the third floor. The younger grades are seperate boys and girls, and all occupy the first floor. There used to be mixed bus service but now there is no bus service. Recesses are sepaerate. Trips are seperate.

Seventh graders should be young and innocent but lots of kids in my own mixed school were far from that.
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"Often the things you worry about don't happen but other stuff does."
- Amother

I'm just plain frum.

My kids go to a school that's set up like your childrens school, the boys on one floor and the girls on another. They do have the first grade all on one floor though. I don't see anything wrong with what they want to do. All the kids eat together and have assembly together, too. in my kids school so maybe it is a little more lenient.
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Silver Member Joined: May 20 2009 Posts: 510 Location: CT

They do share a bus (all the boys and girls). as I've mentioned, some even share a block. No one has ever (to my knowledge) expressed concern over this.

Silver Member Joined: May 20 2009 Posts: 510 Location: CT

If you were a parent of a child in this class, and you had some influence with the administration, would it be worth your while to try to change the situation?

If it bothered you so much, then of course it would be worthwhile.

I would check out the bus situation. Ask kids what really goes on. Are there boyfriends and girlfriends? Is there teasing about it? Are they flirting?

Platinum Member Joined: Nov 04 2008 Posts: 8180

Do American movies reflect American reality?
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Silver Member Joined: May 20 2009 Posts: 510 Location: CT

there already is a buffer -- the boys arrive after lunch and leave at recess. the girls arrive after recess (10 minutes later).

Oh 7th grade is non existant. I translated.
Yes unfortunately p-rn is easily accessible on internet. No news here, many non jews don't have filters and non frum Jews too. Before that it was the tv, but you don't find real p-rn there.

Curiosity does not mean you're past "ewww"ing in school. And being past ewing doesn't mean you'll, gasp, talk to a GIRL/BOY.

True they have changed since I left HS, but the 12/13 yr old I know are very much not "mature" either? Two years ago my uni teacher told me that her 14 yr old son was still ewwwing girls (we got there from comparing generations or something, weird convo I agree).

Gold Member Joined: Apr 06 2006 Posts: 1492

What exactly would be the problem? Boy cooties left on the chairs?

Moderator Joined: Dec 04 2005 Posts: 6206 Location: israel

I don't see why the teacher couldn't switch classrooms, and the boys/girls each stay on their floors.

It's not the biggest deal in the world....but why make it an issue....just let the teacher switch...

they are growing up....likely nothing will happen, but sometimes teenage couples do happen and it's not such a healthy thing at that young an age.

[quote="amother"]