Originally Posted by bluemagic
Originally Posted by loubalou
Thanks for sharing notnaffnaf. Sadly a lot of this is due to perceptions. For the same reason I suspect that if we were to visit good high schools in Africa or Latin America offering honors Computer Science classes, we will find that they be full of African and Latin American children respectively, not white or Asian ones.
But one of the big issues is they are filled with young men not the young women. For some reason as a society were aren't encouraging our young women to take these classes.

As to race, your point is partially correct. But my school is very multicultural but it's very specific races that take the advanced math & computer science. (European, Chinese, Japanese, Korean & Indian.) Virtual no Hispanic, Persian, Middle Eastern, or Black kids are in these classes. (I am talking heritage here.. MOST of the kids are AMERICANS born here.) I think this mostly comes from their family expectations.
It could be due to family expectations, but could also due to teacher and others expectations as well. My point is that this is an issue in the US and similar multicultural countries only. Back in their home countries, I am certain that Africans and Hispanics take advanced STEM classes and do well in them. Some of them also come over here to pursue STEM classes, pay no attention to the 'news' that certain minorities are not supposed to be good at STEM and end up doing well.

Similarly, women in Women's colleges are less likely to be affected by the perception that STEM careers are not for women. This perception that STEM careers are not for women is worldwide unfortunately.