Gender Differences and Anti-School Boys

Abstract

This paper explores and contrasts the gender value systems of two groups of anti-school boys. It suggests that cultural differences in specifically gender values can lead to (i) polarisation between anti-school boys and (ii) confrontation with school authorities in ways not explained by the traditional theory of culture clash between the working class pupil and the middle class school. It is also noted that the label ‘counter-school’ used by Willis to convey the culture of some working class boys (‘the lads’) may need to be refined if the culture is reassessed in a way which acknowledges the commonality between the gender value systems of ‘the lads’ and those of the school. In fact, the research reported in this paper found that another group of anti-school boys (not working class) was much more counter the gender value system of the school than ‘the lads’ and did not uphold traditional masculine values.