Why Single-Sex Education Is Being Reconsidered

Empty classroom with desks, chairs, and whiteboard.

A new push for gender-segregated schools challenges constitutional values, stirring conservative triumph and liberal alarm.

Story Snapshot

Conservative advocacy for gender-segregated education gains momentum.
Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 includes proposals to roll back coeducation.
Republicans aim to rewrite Title IX, impacting LGBTQ+ protections.
Trump-aligned policies could enforce these changes via executive orders.

Conservative Think Tanks Push Gender Segregation

The Heritage Foundation, a leading conservative think tank, has been at the forefront of advocating for gender-segregated education as part of its broader Project 2025 agenda. This initiative, released in recent years, argues for the necessity of sex-specific education to reestablish traditional gender roles and counter the perceived issues of coeducation. Heritage Foundation scholar Scott Yenor has been vocal in his support, suggesting that such measures are crucial to preserve distinct social destinies for men and women.

These efforts are framed as a counterrevolution against the landmark 1996 United States v. Virginia case, which ruled against sex-based generalizations in education. The push for gender-segregated schools is seen by its proponents as a method to reinforce hierarchical sex roles through state power, aiming to restructure public education and challenge established constitutional equality.

GOP Platform and Proposed Title IX Changes

The Republican Party’s 2024 platform has positioned itself against what it terms “gender insanity,” pledging to reverse the Title IX expansions that protect LGBTQ+ students. This move aligns with the broader conservative agenda to promote traditional norms and redefine sex based on biological terms. The potential rollback of Title IX could limit transgender protections, affecting pronoun usage and access to facilities.

In addition to targeting gender policies, the GOP’s approach includes cutting funding to schools that teach what they consider “radical gender ideology.” This could result in significant changes in public schools, as districts might feel pressured to align with these policies to maintain funding.

Potential Impact of Trump-Aligned Executive Actions

With a Trump-aligned administration back in power, there is potential for executive actions that could hasten the implementation of these gender-segregation policies. Such actions may include the rewriting of Title IX and the enforcement of funding cuts to non-compliant schools, under the guise of combating “radical indoctrination.”

While no legislation has yet been enacted to mandate widespread gender segregation in schools, the ideological advocacy continues to grow. If successful, these efforts could reverse decades of progress in coeducation and equal protection, reinforcing rigid gender roles and potentially diminishing women’s opportunities in leadership and other traditionally male-dominated areas.