The majority of the schools in America are coed; however, Rochester has a number of single-sex schools.  Students’ opinions vary on the differences between coed and single-sex education.

Interviews with local and out-of-state students revealed that people believe there are separations between male and female students because it will cause fewer distractions; the separation creates an environment in which it is easier to focus.

Sophomore Danyon Hobbs believes single-sex education is good. “Single-sex schools are a great way to keep there from being distractions, and allow for students to be themselves without worrying about what the other respective gender thinks,” he said.

Bishnu Biswa, a sophomore at Our Lady of Mercy High School, believes the separation between the genders causes less distraction. “I think it’s to make it comfortable for both girls and boys and to create an environment where they don’t feel pressure and could focus more,” she said.

Hrishika Chhetri, a junior at Lakeside High in Atlanta, Georgia, believes there are differences in the way the two genders learn. “I feel like it might [be] because men learn a different way than females,” she said.

The interviewees believe the educational values and what the students are taught are the same throughout single-sex and coed schools. They find that gender does not affect the learning that goes on throughout the schools.

Biswa believe there are not many differences between the two types of schools. “I don’t think there is much difference between these two types of schools other than being all girls schools and boys schools and being together,” she said.

However the students’ opinions on the main differences vary, from brotherhood to teaching methods to not having any differences at all.

Hobbs believes there is a better sense of brotherhood or sisterhood in the single-sex schools; the students can be themselves and are more free. “There is also a sense of brotherhood in same-sex schools, that personally I do not think is present in co-ed schools,” he said.

Chhetri does not believe there is any differences between single sex and coed schools. “No, I don’t think there is a difference between the schools,” she said.

Biswa believes the main difference lies within the teaching methods. “Maybe there are some differences on teaching methods,” she said.