The New York Times profiles one school in the Bronx which, after experimenting with a number of different initiatives, has tried separating fifth-grade classes by sex. Anecdotally, the approach - which results in two very different classroom atmospheres - seems effective.

"Before it was all about showing the girls who was toughest, and roughing up and being cool," said Samell Little, whose son Gavin is in his second school year surrounded only by boys. "Now I never hear a word from teachers about behavior problems, and when he talks about school, he is actually talking about work."

The article describes the stricter boys' classroom (in which the teacher now gives a brief lesson on personal hygiene and hands out deodorant samples) and the more nurturing girls' class, in which issues like cliques are addressed. Although the test scores haven't shown a noticeable difference, the article notes that this may be because the school tends to put struggling students in the single-sex classes, and so such numbers may be misleading. "While test scores might not show it, Mr. Cannon and his teachers said there have been fewer fights and discipline issues, and more participation in class and after-school activities, since the girls and boys were split up." However, the program gives some people pause.

But Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women, said separate classrooms reinforce gender stereotypes. "A boy who has never been beaten by a girl on an algebra test could have some major problems having a female supervisor," she said. While some advocates believe that girls are more likely to participate in class when no boys are present - and that boys, particularly those from low-income families, tend to focus better without girls around - academic research is inconclusive.

I do know that when I was a kid, I loved being in class with boys: I wasn't interested in them romantically at the age of ten or eleven, but I did take special relish in besting them academically and making them eat their bragadoccio. I know coed classes spurred me, personally, but then, I was also lucky enough to attend a progressive school where educators had the luxury of considering the philosophical dynamics of the class breakdown. The school described in this article is not trying single-sex ed as a means of empowerment so much as a last resort, one in a series of try-anything experiments in a desperate attempt to improve these kids' academics. And if it works, great. I get what Gandy's saying, of course, but I'm guessing the alternative, at Eagle School, would not be an educational idyll, and someone with a good education and fewer disciplinary problems is more likely to end up with a female supervisor - or a supervisor, period - than otherwise.

Then too, kids are more sexualized than they were a generation ago: if you look at the numbers for Eagle's neighborhood, you'll see that it's not uncommon for kids of just this age to become sexually active. By high school age, most of the academic building blocks are in place, or not. At fifth and sixth grade age, they're still being built - and it's easy to see how mixing that crucial period with sexual awakening could do a kid's academics some serious damage. Which is not to say that single-sex is the solution, or that Gandy's objections won't turn out to be valid ones. But I do see why the school is willing to try. Let's hope the result is kids of either sex who are indeed competitive at Algebra; that's more than I can say for myself.

Boys And Girls Together, Taught Separately In Public School [NY Times]

"Brooke Smith was obviously not fired for playing a lesbian. Clearly it's not an issue as we have a lesbian character on the show – Calliope Torres. Sara Ramirez is an incredible comedic and dramatic actress and we wanted to be able to play up her magic. Unfortunately, we did not find that the magic and chemistry with Brooke's character would sustain in the long run. The impact of the Callie/Erica relationship will be felt and played out in a story for Callie. I believe it belittles the relationship to simply replace Erica with 'another lesbian.' If you'll remember, Cristina mourned the loss of Burke for a full season."

TV critics are being extremely vocal about this issue. EW's Michael Slezak writes, "Brooke Smith's Grey's Anatomy ouster is not right and not okay… Was it the lesbianism they objected to, or the fact that Dr. Hahn didn't bake muffins or decorate lockers or act generally flighty-flaky-cutesy or hook up with hot male colleagues to help her sort out her sexual orientation? Yeah, you could say I'm outraged." Melissa Silverstein from the Women & Hollywood blog says, "I loved the storyline for so many reasons, especially because neither Smith nor Ramirez were stick thin." And Mary McNamara of the LA Times offers this theory:

"I suspect what irked whoever made the call… [was] not that they were both women — good heavens, how dull — but that they were, how shall we say, average size. With hips, you know, and actual breasts. Not two girly waifs exchanging a stolen kiss or a grope in the women's room stall over a line of coke, not an androgynous club kid putting her best moves on some sitcom heroine. But two women of substance, physically and psychologically, falling in love and talking about it way too much, the way women tend to do."

Women & Hollywood's Silverstein also points out that the timing is suspect: "Remember the term from West Wing 'taking out the trash?' That's when they dump news on a day when nobody will notice. Me thinks ABC did some trash dumping last night." And it is interesting that today is the day California voters vote on Proposition 8, which seeks to outlaw gay marriage in the state. It's tough when you don't know what the network execs — or even Shonda Rhimes — are really thinking, but doesn't it seem like Grey's Anatomy missed out on an opportunity to make some truly groundbreaking television?

Exclusive: 'Grey's Anatomy' Discharges Dr. Hahn, Brooke Smith's 'Grey's Anatomy' Ouster Is Not Right And Not Okay [EW]
Critic's Notebook: Brooke Smith's Firing Is Bad For 'Grey's Anatomy,' And The World [LA Times]
ABC Freaks Out About Gay Grey's Storyline [Women & Hollywood]
'Grey's Anatomy' Has Change Of Heart About Dr. Hahn [USA Today]