Girls don’t feel as safe at school as they deserve to. Studies from the Act Center for Equity in Learning showed that females were less likely to report feeling safe than their white, male peers, and an article from CNN reported that nearly half of all sexual assaults are comitted against girls ages 15 and younger. Some of these assaults will happen during our high school years, creating an environment for young women which may feel threatening or unsafe.

These studies make it clear that girls are not treated equally to boys, hence more actions must be taken in order to ensure girls feel safe at school. Even small steps can improve the safety of girls in the classroom.

One reason why this topic must not be dismissed is that girls deserve to feel as safe at school as boys do. Girls must be valued just as much as boys because we are equal to boys and just as capable as them in every way. 

This topic is also relevant because the sexism and oppression women face must be intervened; women have all had experiences with men making comments about our bodies that they feel completely entitled to make, but the reality is women’s bodies are not objects that men get to toy with however they like. This needs to be taught to boys early on so that they can break their habits of objectifying women, and view us as equal human beings.

Women are also shown to have less confidence than men. The Harvard Gazette reports that women are less inclined to self promote than men. This insecurity is not helped by the constant bending ourselves out of shape in order to meet the demands men make. In order to build confidence in girls, we must feel safe and heard at school, leading to success for girls in school, and in the future. 

In order for girls to feel safer, we must stop putting the responsibility on girls to protect ourselves. Boys should be the ones getting taught about how to treat women with more respect.  Consequently, a year-long course for boys should be required in schools that teaches them about the history of oppression and inequality women have faced. The course would be taught by a woman, and it would teach boys to respect women and our bodies.

Boys must also be held accountable for their actions. Too many times young men are able to get away with their impermissible behavior because of their privilege, so I believe that Bowie teachers and administrators should complete a gender equality training twice a year in order to prepare them to better handle gender equality issues in the classroom, and hold people truly responsible and accountable.

Some students may feel as though women are already getting enough attention. However, I feel as though if there are any studies at all reporting that women feel less safe than men, not enough is being done. We must continue working for change until all women feel safe at all times. 

There must be more efforts made, and more actions taken in order to ensure all girls feel safe at school. Even small steps will make a difference in unstitching the detailed tapestry of sexism and oppression created by men.