ade in the educational system “la must convince women that their role within that

i a a
* Fy ¥

One other obvious justi fication is that-no-one. wants-to-vworkfor-a- voman...In”
many ways, this is an understandable prejudice, because many women who have “made
it” to the top of their profession have had to take on the worst characteristics of
the male role to do so. It is because these administrative roles are defined in “mas-
culine’ terms as aggressive and competitive.

Th order for women to achieve a representative voice in the decision-mal king
within the educational system without sacrificing their more nositive characteristics
Cetined by their "femininitv", it is clearlv necessary to organize and work collect-
ively. In other words, they must work together to achieve nower not only in the
classroons, but in the administration of the schools, and in the union.

Tt is not enough to fight for control, however, without a clear understanding
of the cbjectives of the struggle. "e want to Geve ‘lap an educational system that is
democratic, an educational system that emphasizes the intearation of knowledge, a
system Of knowledge that meets the needs of the reels rather than the corporations 3.

Our orcanization must reflect structurally and ideologically our stated aims.

= must convince women that these goals cannot be achieved without a structural

system cannot materially chenge without a basic reordering of education.
Why is this so? The channelling of women into the home creates hidden unemploy~
ment: channelling - into low-paying, low-status occupations provides a source of cheap

rf
+

re in other words, the present roles for women serve the needs of the corporate

Education - The Priority: _ :

“The education system is important to challenge both by the students within it,
né oarticularly the girls, and by the teachers, narticularly the women. It is the main

avenue th rougn which roles anc values are prance ee In school, students learn who

they ane and what they are, and what they are to hecome. Within the system the teach
ers act out the roles they themselves learned as students, roles which they will in
tum pass on to their students.

Tt is vital that girls be encouraged to organize themselves so they can effect--
eae y challenge the system of channelling into lower status occupation areas. It
is important that school curricula should include a study of women in society: their
ook story of exploitation and subordination. All students should he taught to question
their assumptions about “inherited” nersonality characteristics: they shouid ke ex-
posed tc » biological, psychological, and sociological theories about sex differences
and ae debate the functions and ais FUE aS of the nuclear family structure.

Toachers must realize the essential role they play in the transmissicn of val~
wes; they must work together to combat these ‘ste sxoetyped roles which so limit both
men and women within our society. They must organize to take on the responsible roles
within their profession. It is only then that oreiudicial reaulations against women
will be successfully challenged, and more importantly , that necessary structural
changes will be undertaken. Tha problems lie in the structures of institutions serv-
ing the few instead of the many, and it is only in working together that we can hoce
to be effective in changing our environment.

We

FO2 STUDENTS: Focus For Action

1. To organize a Women’s Caucus within the school, or within a student union where
they exist, to press their demands.

2, To challenge guidance counsellors on their job apne. and on their vositicn
yooh ding birth control, and abortion.

3. ‘fo become more informed of the problems they face as women, and to make informa-
tion more available to others.