Clarksville School Divides Boys, Girls Into Separate Classrooms

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CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - One school is making a big switch to start the new grading period by creating separate classrooms for boys and girls. The idea is showing some promise in Montgomery County.

At Norman Smith Elementary School, fourth grade teacher Woody Burton realized his girls and boys simply learned differently. Girls followed rules, but tended to be quiet. The boys wanted action and games.

Burton decided the differences were slowing their progress. After speaking with parents and administrators, the school created an all girls class and an all boys class.

"It's the same standards, same curriculum - just the means of how we deliver them is different," said Burton.

Just three weeks into the switch, school officials said its working. Initial skepticism has turned into support.

"We've had floods of calls from parents supporting it, loving it, saying there's a positive difference in their student they're more comfortable, making better grades," said Clarksville Schools spokesperson Elise Shelton.

Student Hunter Meeks is among those thriving in the new system. He explained boys can be boys in their classroom, and girls can be girls in their classroom.

"In this one we can get through it without the girls making distractions," said Meeks.

Teachers and administrators will evaluate the success of single sex classrooms in about six weeks when the next batch of test data comes back.