Coeducation? Not a problem ...

A study of three coeducational private schools in Melbourne's eastern suburbs found that romantic liaisons were rare and the presence of the opposite sex did not distract students from their schoolwork. The study's author, Sue Bennett (Education, Deakin University), said she was 'surprised by the amount of relaxed, cooperative interaction that was going on ... there was very little of what you might regard as sexual behaviour'. The two-year study found that mixed gender classes had a civilising effect on both sexes. Girls were less likely to indulge in preening and bitchy behaviour and boys were more mature and less likely to be obsessed with sport than their counterparts in single sex schools. The study was undertaken for the University of South Australia and presented at the annual conference of the Australian Association of Research in Education at Melbourne University, 30 November 2004 (The Age, 27/11/04, p.3).