yitayningwut:
Unless guys and girls are very different, I don’t think you are right, and if it seems that way, maybe it’s simply a you-want-it-because-you-can’t-have-it motivation that’s behind it. In other words if you would change the system and make girls learn just as much as guys, they would have less of an interest. Just my conjecture.
Sheichus difference? Not sure what you are getting at. My point is this: there are people who like to learn and people who don’t. Girls who aren’t interested in learning torah most likely aren’t dying to learn advanced maths. Girls who like learning advanced maths will most likely also want to learn torah. Teaching the basics in halacha etc. and pushing secular subjects more won’t satisfy EITHER group.
It could be he thought (clearly, mistakenly) that you personally could not handle such a course, and in his mind he believed that it would soften the blow to make a general comment about women than about your specific shortcomings, because in this way he is saying “don’t worry, you are normal.”
I don’t think that’s what my principal meant, but good point. And I guess it’s all for the best anyhow. I still got to learn it later. 🙂
*See, for example, his comments at the end of the fourth chapter in Hilchos Yesodei haTorah.
Lol – aren’t you supposed to be referring me to math textbooks…