In private schools, yes.

Gender segregation goes against the prohibition of "Separate But Equal" if the schools are funded by public taxes.

Same thing with teaching religion in a charter school. They aren't entirely "private" entities.

(also assuming that the quality of education does not differ)

Whether it's a good idea or not is a different discussion.

The justification, the ability of students to opt out, etc. play a part in determining if these programs are legal.

Clearly, the one in WV isn't legal. Reading the list of states where the ACLU has challenged these programs is rather telling.

The VMI ruling established some standards (which VMI failed to meet). There was only one dissenting vote (Scalia's) which claimed that the decision would end sex-segregated classrooms at the lower levels. The majority opinion (Ginsburg) said that he saw "fire where there is no flame"

and give them hell. This is like schools (if there can be schools) where women are treated as if they are second class citizens. School rooms are dimly lit and girls have to share desks and cannot squirm ....give me a break! Not my granddaughter!

They can't set different limits or rules for behavior. That is just incredibly unfair.

and that is not what is expected.

I don't know if I buy into it, but they find that if they are not with the boys, the girls actually achieve at a higher level because they don't feel the need to live up (or down, I guess) to the expectation of their male peers. And the boys also achieve at a higher level because they aren't trying to impress the girls.

I will say that whenever we separated into groups of boy/girls and did things separately in classes (esp. gym) I often felt more confident and comfortable. But the kicker is that once they separate everyone they can then decide to fund differently or cut things. And it's not always good to be separate - as long as there are two genders on the planet you are going to have to deal with everyone at some point so you may as well get used to that.

based on such flimsy evidence. It seems like simply a way to pander to people seeking an easy solution to a complex problem.

mingled played and went to school with boys and girls. It's called socializing. Let's hmmm I have two toddler grandchildren in the other room one a boy and one a girl. Maybe I should separate them from watching PBS...one in a dimly lit room and one on a bean bag or trampoline in another room watching the dinosaur train. How ridiculous is this!

p.s. the spellcheck here did not catch my word mispelled...dinosaur

What worries me is the way it seems to be codifying sexist stereotypes in academia.

First creationism and now this?!

it seemed everyone did a little better because of fewer hormonal distractions. Girls especially seemed to do better at all girls schools and sometimes women's colleges.

Then that pretty much stopped, for whatever reasons. I have no idea what the latest is on educational attainment when you segregate the sexes. I have no idea how this fits into "separate but equal" constitutionally, but if it works it would hopefully be OK.

BUT, the way these assholes are doing it is just plain wrong. They seem to have no interest in doing this to give the girls a good learning environment but rather they feel the girls don't deserve as good an education as the boys, and the Talibanian bastids should be taken to task for punishing girls just for being girls.

It can make sense, it can be helpful, but easing these restrictions has opened the door to this kind of nonsense. It's good we have the ACLU to help parents to combat it.

that there's some research out there that supports segregating genders; I'm skeptical and have not yet checked it out for myself. IIR, it has something to do with girls feeling academically safer without boys, especially in math. Hence my skepticism. I might not be remembering correctly, though. If it were likely to happen in my district or region or state, it would probably be higher on my priority list. As a middle school teacher

Regardless of what that research might say, ANY type of structure, format, philosophy, or methodology can be used well or misused or abused.

Based on your link, it sounds like this particular school is abusing the concept, as well as displaying blatant ignorance and/or bigotry concerning gender expectations. I think the ACLU has a good case.

seems to suggest that single gender classrooms are to address expectations based on gender stereotyping: girls as passive, as "helpers," boys as over-active, etc..

It certainly doesn't offer any substantive reason to segregate by gender!

If parents want single-gender classes, they can send their child to private school. (I went to girls school one year and hated it, just for the record...)

There's some more on this here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/11397583

I think it is legal -- and I also think it is a horrible idea.

And now, I will go completely off-topic. (Hey, I warned you, at least.) I have a petition to Congress to cut the pay of every public school administrator in America. It explains why this will help schools everywhere. Here's the link: https://www.change.org/petitions/the-c-a-p-education-reform-proposal-save-america-s-schools-by-cutting-administrators-pay-with-federal-legislation

If you agree with it, please sign it, and then please spread it to others.

To return to the previous topic now, I have taught a few single-gender classes. I absolutely HATED them. It's just a bad idea. Period.