It is said to be the fault of the public school system for the decline of academic success among boys. However, this assumption is incorrect and the decline in academic success is due to more obvious reasons. Public school systems allow both genders to receive the same education so the “gender disparity” Ann Hulbert presents is false. What holds boys back from academic success is simply their engagement in sports and videogames, the fact that girls are more encouraged to rise above, and most importantly the boundaries boys place on themselves. In our society boys are expected to be involved in a sport and spend endless hours playing videogames. These activities have become more accepted and now have taken up the time that boys should be using to do school work or studying. Paul Theroux, author of “Being a Man”, says “I was told to take up a sport, get more fresh air, join the boys scouts and I was urged not to read so much” (1985). The fact is, sports are more important than school in boys’ minds. Also, in order to be “masculine” and get girls’ attention, boys assume they should not be academically successful. “In a nutshell, the girls liked the jocks the best, and sometimes decide to give the time of day to the other team, the computer nerds” (Walker, 2004). After playing sports and videogames the last thing boys want to do is crack open their books and study. Sports and video games contribute to the decline of academic success among boys. While boys have become content with average academic performance, females have chosen to rise above and set new expectations for themselves. Over time females have become increasingly encouraged to rise above academically. Girls have excelled in school far more than boys. In 2005, David Brooks author of “Mind over Muscle”, stated that “This year 133 women will graduate from college for every 100 males.” I believe boys are noticing this trend and are discouraged and intimidated by the success females are having. Boys assume that academic success is only appealing for girls and is not “manly”. Although girls may lose interest in school, boys seem to lose interest at a higher rate (Hulbert, 2005). Boys seem to lack the motivation girls have when it comes to school. Girls simply overrun them and often it may lead boys to give up. “In high school, girls get higher grades in every subject” (Brooks, 2005). The rise of women achieving academically and the lack of motivation among males is rapidly closing the gap between both genders. Often what holds someone back from achieving success academically is their personal drive themselves. This is the case among boys also. Boys are often told that they should not care about school and they let those thoughts stop them from achieving. According to Theroux the expression “be a man” means “Be stupid, be unfeeling, obedient, soldierly and stop thinking” (1985). At an early age boys are told to “be a man”, and that simply can stop them from doing what may seem more “girly”, such as reading. “Some say men are imprisoned by their anti-intellectual machismo” (Brooks, 2005). This is another example that males think being stupid is “manly.” The truth is that boys are the ones holding themselves back by believing the stereotypes they have been raised to believe. Although some blame the school system for the decline in academic achievement among boys, I disagree. The reason boys are not achieving academically is because of sports and videogames, the rise of girls achieving academically, and their personal inhibitions. I disagree that in order to “be a man” boys should not achieve academic goals. If they believe in themselves and become more motivated they will reach academic success.

Brooks, David (2005). Mind over Muscle. The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric. Bedford/St. Martin’s: New York.

Hulbert, Ann (2005). Boy Problems. The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric. Bedford/St. Martin’s: New York.

Theroux, Paul (1985). Being a Man. The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric. Bedford/St. Martin’s: New York.

Walker, Rebecca (2004). Putting Down the Gun. The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric. Bedford/St. Martin’s: New York.