# Boys get to go on a movie field trip, girls don't **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 15, 2012, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865 "2012-02-15T00:01:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/1 "2012-02-15T00:01:22Z")
February is Black History Month, and there’s a movie that is about the black fighter pilots of WWII. And the Dallas Independent School District had some money to spend for low-income students. So it’s field trip time to a movie theater. The problem is, the theater didn’t have enough room to accommodate all the students in the grade, only about half of the students could go at a time. So, [only the boys went.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/boys-taken-to-dallas-schools-screening-of-tuskegee-airmen-movie-girls-excluded/2012/02/10/gIQATEEo4Q_story.html) The girls had to stay at school, and some of them were allowed to watch a different movie, about a girl in a spelling bee. The rationale was that boys would enjoy the movie more…or at least, that’s what the spokesman is claiming. I don’t buy this as a reason, or as an excuse. If the school had given out this field trip as a reward for exceptional history students, that would be one thing, but the last time I checked, we’ve been in the 21st century for over a decade now. I very nearly put this in the Pit. And it might very well need to be moved there, sooner or later. Really, though, is this sort of thing even LEGAL? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/2 "2012-02-15T00:06:49Z")
That’s insane reasoning, IMO. My gast is flabbered. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/3 "2012-02-15T00:14:55Z")
That is weird. If it’s not a matter of money, why not send all the kids, but just at different times? And why just one theater? That’s crazy. When I was in high school, all the high school students in the city were taken to see Shindler’s List, at no cost. Somehow the schools were able to coordinate this massive undertaking without slighting any group. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/4 "2012-02-15T00:16:34Z")
That’s outrageous. The girls should have been given sewing lessons, or they could have spent the time cleaning the classroom so it would be nice and tidy when the boys returned. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/5 "2012-02-15T00:20:48Z")
And oh yeah, if I had been sent to the gym to watch “Akeelah and the Bee”, I would have been WTF? again. It is a fictional film that has nothing to do with history. They couldn’t have found a film that was at least loosely based on real events? Plus, if I’ve seen it a million times on TV, I know a little kid has got to have seen it just as many times, if not more. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/6 "2012-02-15T00:21:23Z")
Yeah, it’s a bit old school. Were the girls offered the chance to go on a separate field trip to see a different movie? If so, I suppose that makes some sort of sense. If not, then it’s pretty unfair, even taking the excuse at face value. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/7 "2012-02-15T00:22:58Z")
No, the girls didn’t get to go on a field trip. The principals at various schools (this was apparently district-wide) had the OPTION of offering to show the spelling bee movie. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/8 "2012-02-15T00:26:37Z")
That’s pretty ridiculous then, to be sure (sorry I didn’t read the article…posting this from my iPad while waiting for a train). I have no idea how legal it was, but I’d say that having this come out is going to bust some chops and get some folks into hot water, at the very least. Deservedly so. (BTW, who still thinks that girls don’t like to go see war movies like the one in the OP?? My daughters certainly seem to enjoy them, at least this sort) -XT ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/9 "2012-02-15T00:37:32Z")
Well this just sounds like a great idea. Next time, let’s send the Jewish kids to _Ocean’s Eleven_, that’s about money, they’ll like that. And we’ll send the black kids to watch _Precious_ so they’ll know what not to do. And it would be better if all the white girls just watch _The Help_, it might teach them about cleaning. All the other groups could just stay and watch Jerry Springer, as they probably still need to learn about our culture. So much rage. Breath. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/10 "2012-02-15T00:42:22Z")
> [@](#): > > The field trip to see “Red Tails” cost Dallas schools about $57,000, which came from federal funds for low-income students, the newspaper reported. Uh-oh. That makes it a federal issue. The stupidity of some public officials is often impossible to fathom. Let’s give all the boys a special reward and make the girls stay in school. What could possibly go wrong? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/11 "2012-02-15T00:58:09Z")
> [@](#): > > Dahlander, who did not return several phone messages from The Associated Press, told the newspaper that the district often holds gender-specific events. > > “It’s not out of the ordinary,” Dahlander said. I’m guessing there are times when the girls get to go out, and the boys stay in school. I’m guessing no one whines when that happens. Until I find out the girls are regularly ignored, I’m not feeling the outrage. What do you bet Oprah or Lucas or somebody is going to give all the girls free cars or something. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/12 "2012-02-15T01:01:04Z")
There are times when gender-specific events might make sense. This is not one of them. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/13 "2012-02-15T01:05:27Z")
Definitely. If they only had funding for half the student population then the right thing to do would have been to draw lots in some sort of lottery for this event and then note who went and taken the folks left behind to the next event. Where is the Oprah/Lucas giving the girls a car thingy coming from, btw? 😕 -XT ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/14 "2012-02-15T01:20:55Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Definitely. If they only had funding for half the student population then the right thing to do would have been to draw lots in some sort of lottery for this event and then note who went and taken the folks left behind to the next event. If they only had money for half the students to go, they should have found something that was 50% less per student, and sent all the students. A lottery is almost as bad as this. There are plenty of movies on DVD that are every bit as good and have the same message as the movie they took the boys to. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/15 "2012-02-15T01:25:19Z")
From this [local news station:](http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/education/students-take-tuskegee-airmen-field-trip-020912) > [@](#): > > The fifth grade girls had to stay behind and watch the movie “Akeelah and the Bee” in the classroom. That’s because teachers decided the trip would appeal more to boys than girls. But later this month the girls will get their turn on a field trip to visit with a group of female mentors. No idea what this visit with a group of female mentors is all about. I hope it’s a bit more exciting than it sounds. I could argue it sounds more educational than a war movie for the boys. Oprah is known for doing things like giving everyone in the audience a free car or something. She’ll build a school for girls at the drop of a hat. Not that there is anything wrong with that, since she’ll do it in places like Africa where it really, really sucks being a girl. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/16 "2012-02-15T01:25:21Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] If they only had money for half the students to go, they should have found something that was 50% less per student, and sent all the students. A lottery is almost as bad as this. There are plenty of movies on DVD that are every bit as good and have the same message as the movie they took the boys to. [/QUOTE] Well, I’m trying to avoid the part about spending over $50k on movie tickets (I think the money could have been more wisely spent to give the kids a treat), but if they WERE going to do a movie with the money then I think the lottery would have been the optimal way to go, with the kids that didn’t get to go getting the next treat. I don’t know about you, but I always thought it was lame when my teachers used to show those old 8mm projection movies in class as a ‘treat’ (DVDs or even video tape were a bit after my time), and I don’t imagine the kids would have enjoyed that very much. YMMV of course. -XT ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/17 "2012-02-15T02:18:11Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I’m guessing there are times when the girls get to go out, and the boys stay in school. I’m guessing no one whines when that happens. > > Until I find out the girls are regularly ignored, I’m not feeling the outrage. > > What do you bet Oprah or Lucas or somebody is going to give all the girls free cars or something. Well, this is one of the dumber posts I’ve read on this board. You’re guessing, huh? Wanna cite some of that garbage, since we’re in Great Debates, and all? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/18 "2012-02-15T02:21:17Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > Well, this is one of the dumber posts I’ve read on this board. > > You’re guessing, huh? Wanna cite some of that garbage, since we’re in Great Debates, and all? I already did Chuckles, the girls’ field trip is later this month. Keep going though, GD needs more comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/19 "2012-02-15T02:24:33Z")
Why the hell couldn’t they just rent _[The Tuskegee Airmen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tuskegee_Airmen)_ and show it in the gym or something? It’s the same damn movie - even has Cuba Gooding, Jr. in it. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865/20 "2012-02-15T02:53:14Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > From this [local news station:](http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/education/students-take-tuskegee-airmen-field-trip-020912) > > No idea what this visit with a group of female mentors is all about. I hope it’s a bit more exciting than it sounds. > > I could argue it sounds more educational than a war movie for the boys. > > Oprah is known for doing things like giving everyone in the audience a free car or something. She’ll build a school for girls at the drop of a hat. Not that there is anything wrong with that, since she’ll do it in places like Africa where it really, really sucks being a girl. That’s sort of my point. The boys got to go on a field trip to see a movie. The girls meet with “female mentors”, which is almost certainly rather boring, and also almost certainly not nearly as expensive. This is a case of separate and not equal. And what Oprah does has just about zero relevance in this case. Oprah is a private citizen. You might question her effectiveness, but she’s spending her own money to give out cars or to start up a school. But what I’m talking about is the public school system, using federal money to discriminate based on sex. I also have to wonder if someone at the theater complex is related in some way to a DISD decision maker. That’s a pretty big audience, even if they gave a group/student discount for the mob. SOMEBODY’S cash register was ringing. The thing is, 5,000 students were entertained for about an hour and a half. The movie isn’t very educational (if it’s educational at all), and the money was spent on something that was very fleeting. For that amount of money, they could have hired another teacher for a full year AND had plenty of money to spend on additional resource materials. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-get-to-go-on-a-movie-field-trip-girls-dont/612865.md?page=2)