The Guardian – Gaby Hinsliff
“It’s ridiculous, of course, to blame boys’ ongoing underachievement at school simply on the messages sent out by their clothes, music, reality TV, computer games or any other aspect of pop culture. These are just the most visible expressions of an aggressive anti-intellectualism – bullying clever kids as dorks, championing loud pigheadedness over reasoned argument – forming the background hum to boys’ lives. Small boys somehow internalise the message that reading is more of a “girl thing” before they’ve left primary school, although it’s one of the most powerful indicators of educational success around; by their teens, the idea that swotting makes you unpopular is widespread. But dumb is dangerous. Stupid hurts. Why would we encourage this for our sons?.”(more)