As Paul wrote in his piece, it seems likely that a new, publicly funded boy's school will be opening in Toronto in the next few years. This is being pitched as a way to stem the tide of lower literacy rates, higher drop-out rates and greater disciplinary problems among boys in North America's largest school board.

There have been a few articulate challenges and critiques of this proposal, including Paul's and I don't disagree with much of what's been written but I have to admit that when I first saw the initial headline to this story my mind went to a place of hope and excitement. I'll explain why.

1. While gender might not be the single most significant determinant of student success (another largely ignored one being class), it is definitely important and I think we need to address it on some level. We also have had several reports in recent years about the unacceptable levels of gendered violence in schools and this also needs to be addressed.

2. Male culture is easier to affect if it's isolated. It seems obvious that we can do more to directly address the way boys are socialized if we address boys in a boys-only space. Historically these kinds of spaces (sports teams, etc) have been used largely to reinforce gender stereotypes but they can also be used to affect change.

3. What could a boys school be? Imagine a space where boys are encouraged to explore, express and develop the qualities and characteristics we value in all human beings: compassion, kindness, empathy, generosity, etc, while also allowing them to develop their academic and physical capacities. Rather than thinking about boys-only education as an all-day gym class with lessons, can't we think in broader, more meaningful ways about how to impact boy's lives (and therefore girls and the whole community) for the better?

4. How many boys-only safe/positive spaces are there in the world? Most boys-only spaces that I encounter foster sexism, homophobia and macho stereotypes. It would be groundbreaking if the Toronto school board set out to create a space that supported and challenged boys to live lives beyond the boundaries of stereotypes and cultural expectations.

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