As a technical teacher, I believe that instruction should reflect the practices of the workplace accurately and I can't see how this can be done by separating trainees on the basis of gender.

Discrimination based on gender in most cases is invalid and should only be considered if it effects the person's ability to successfully do the job

Whenever a company, group, city, or country goes out of their way to help only one group, say women, they are inherently discriminating against another group. And I don't believe that is the right way to handle a problem.

Affirmative action was put in place to assist minorities achieve jobs that were closed to them because of their race, religion, or gender. As a result, industry got less qualified individuals in positions that demanded skills that these people didn't have.

My first exposure to affirmative action was that I had to carry the weight of co-workers not qualified to be there. That was a small burn... At least I got better raises because of it.

But then, when I was told I would not be considered for a position I was qualified for because I was a white male, well, then I thought a lot differently about the subject.

laby