The Task Force on Women, Minorities, and the Handicapped in Science and Technology (1989) finds that women and minorities are seldom entering fields that require advanced mathematics and science degrees. Yet, jobs requiring math and science skills are growing at nearly double the rate of all jobs. As a result, one of the fastest growing sectors of our economy is significantly underrepresented by women and minorities:
This underrepresentation of females and minority males is due to such factors as negative attitudes toward mathematics and science, limited exposure to extracurricular activities in mathematics and science, and lack of information about mathematics- and science-related careers. The most influential factors, however, are low participation rates in advanced courses and lower performance levels in courses and on standardized tests compared to white males (Clewell, 1992 [cited in Century, 1994]). According to Oakes (1990), "schooling rests at the heart of the issue." She argues that females and minority males are losing ground to white males in three critical areas: opportunities to learn, achievement, and decisions to study science and mathematics.
Female students' lack of confidence, lack of encouragement from adults, and diminished belief in the value of science and mathematics appear to be related to the underrepresentation of women in higher education math and science programs and in mathematics and science professions (Gardner, et al., 1989; Antony, 1993-94; Eccles, 1989; Blake, 1993) (all cited in Century, 1994). As girls reach higher grades in school, they are more likely than boys to demonstrate lack of confidence in their ability to achieve in science and mathematics activities and are less likely to participate in upper-level science and mathematics classes (Antony, 1993-94; Kahle, 1991) (cited in Century, 1994). Indeed, the gender gap in science may be increasing (AAUW, 1990; WEEA, 1991) (cited in Century, 1994). By their senior year in high school, girls are unlikely even to approach the participation and achievement levels of boys in science courses (Holmes, 1991) (cited in Century, 1994).
Differences in achievement between white males and females and ethnic minority males reflect the shortcomings of traditional science programs and the complexities of our changing society. Such inequities have serious implications for the success and satisfaction of students in school and the workplace and for the well-being of the country as a whole.