Blake Heuring thinks girls and boys are treated equally, but Erika Beasley disagrees. Both live in Jackson and are in the same grade but attend different schools.

More than 222,000 students say there is a gender gap in America. Gender biases affect curfews, household chores and education, according to results of a USA Weekend survey published today.

About 100 local teen-agers agreed with the national results.

The gender gap isn't as wide as it used to be, but it still exists, Beasley said. "Now it's the '90s, so women are making a comeback," she said. "There's not as big a difference now."

But there are distinct differences between how boys and girls are treated.

Boys are punished harsher by teachers and are more likely to be agressive in a fight. Girls are more likely to have experienced sexual harassment, but boys are less likely to be upset by any harassment they receive. Boys get more freedom to stay out later even though girls behave more responsibly.

Of the 100 local responses to the survey, 78 percent of the girls and 83 percent of the boys say teachers punish boys more severely for misbehaving in the classroom.

However, some teachers try to be fair to both sexes, said Kelly Castulik, a student at Woodland High School in Marble Hill. "They're not really harder on boys. They treat us the same, or try to," she said.

There are biases built into our institutions, said Larry Hamilton, an assistant professor of sociology and anthropology at Southeast Missouri State University. "It's a matter of gender discrimination," he said.

Studies show that boys get more attention and feedback at school, but many of the gender differences are based on socialization, Hamilton said.

"A lot of the answers will have to do with the differences between the two sexes," he said. "It's a form of sexism."

Beasley has already seen the subtle forms of sexism at her school in Jackson. After completing the survey, she decided to conduct her own research to see if boys or girls got more positive attention from classroom teachers.

"I would make tallies of who they called on, and it was always more boys than girls," she said. "They favor boys more, but I think they really don't know that they do that."

However, 59 percent of local girls and 71 percent of boys said teachers don't favor boys by calling on them more often in class. More than 50 percent of the girls said both sexes get equal attention while only 46 percent of the boys agreed.

Some attention that girls receive isn't always welcome. More often, girls are the object of sexual harassment at school: 72 percent of local girls reported experiencing harassment. Boys don't have as many problems: Only 46 percent reported any problems.

"I don't believe that sexual harassment is taken seriously enough at school," wrote one student from Benton. "I think the school's responsibility is to protect both male and female students from this kind of harassment."

Calling names, making jokes or comments about other students and their reputations are the most common problems, students say.

Although there are apparent differences in how males and females are treated, things are nearing equality.

"There's not much difference in how we are treated," Castulik said.

Most teens believe they will share household chores and child care equally once they marry and that a woman will be elected president during their lifetime.

"I'm trying to work up to a goal and lead a successful life," Beasley said.

The Gender Gap teen survey

These are the results of the teen gender gap survey that ran in USA Weekend last spring. The survey was taken by 222,653 students in grades 6 through 12, including about 100 teens from Southeast Missouri. The non-scientific results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to respond.

1. If your school offered same-sex classes on certain subjects, would you want to take one?

Yes 29% 41% 24% 43%

No 71% 59% 73% 60%

1a. If yes, which subjects would you most like to take with your own gender?

English/literature 11% 13% 5% 2%

Math/science 17% 19% 12% 5%

Physical education 60% 61% 12% 34%

Computer science 10% 8% 2% 3%

Foreign languages 11% 12% 0 5%

Social studies 9% 5% 0 2%

2. In general, who gets more positive attention in the classroom?

Boys 8% 14% 10% 17%

Girls 45% 28% 41% 31%

Both get same 47% 58% 46% 53%

3. In terms of discipline, teachers are generally tougher on:

Boys 75% 60% 83% 78%

Girls 2% 6% 2% 2%

No real difference 23% 34% 10% 24%

4. Do you have some teachers who, in class, call on boys more often than girls?

Yes 33% 42% 29% 47%

No 67% 58% 71% 59%

5. Should girls have the opportunity to play on boys' sports teams?

Yes 33% 87% 27% 64%

No 39% 13% 66% 40%

6. In a heated argument with a classmate, you are more likely to (choose one):

Argue loudly 25% 33% 37% 40%

Hit the person 26% 7% 29% 7%

Walk away angry 13% 14% 7% 16%

Calmly walk away and try to resolve later 19% 20% 10% 7%

Talk it out right away 17% 26% 12% 34%

7. Have you ever cried at school?

Yes 33% 72% 7% 71%

No 67% 28% 85% 40%

8. Percentage saying they have experienced the following at school:

Comments, jokes, looks 56% 71% 46% 72%

Touches, grabs, pinches 33% 37% 29% 41%

Sexual rumors spread about themselves 19% 22% 32% 22%

Flashed or mooned 20% 13% 32% 21%

Called gay or lesbian 25% 16% 20% 14%

Forced to kiss or do something sexual 7% 2% 10% 5%

Shown sexual photos or notes 22% 15% 32% 7%

Seen sexual graffiti about self 8% 3% 7% 2%

None of the above 24% 19% 0 0

9. If you have experienced sexual harassment, how did it make you feel?

Upset 30% 56% 12% 36%

Not upset at all 41% 23% 27% 21%

Flattered 19% 3% 20% 5%

Confused 10% 18% 10% 17%

10. Do you think that jokes and kidding around are sometimes misunderstood as sexual harassment?

Yes 82% 83% 80% 84%

No 18% 17% 17% 19%

11. Percentage saying they perform these chores at home:

Washing dishes 52% 72% 41% 72%

Taking out the trash 73% 37% 76% 50%

Mowing the lawn 67% 30% 83% 52%

Laundry 35% 59% 32% 71%

Housecleaning 51% 70% 37% 81%

Caring for pets 55% 54% 49% 59%

Helping with dinner 39% 58% 27% 60%

Babysitting/child-care 27% 52% 32% 52%

12. If you life in a two-parent household, who does more chores?

Mother/stepmother 56% 60% 46% 53%

Father/stepfather 5% 5% 7% 3%

Chores shared equally 39% 35% 39% 34%

13. In general, who has later curfews at home?

Boys 47% 46% 63% 43%

Girls 11% 10% 5% 7%

Same for both 42% 44% 29% 50%

14. In general, who is given more responsibility (by parents, teachers, employers)?

Boys 59% 18% 44% 12%

Girls 41% 82% 27% 90%

15. In general, who behaves more responsibly?

Boys 27% 1% 22% 0

Girls 73% 99% 76% 100%

16. In general, parents give more freedom to

Boys 43% 57% 56% 57%

Girls 21% 10% 12% 9%

Same for both 36% 33% 29% 36%

17. Have you been raised to believe that men and women have equal opportunities in society?

Yes 85% 86% 83% 93%

No 15% 14% 12% 10%

18. In general, who has more career opportunities?

Boys 82% 81% 73% 93%

Girls 18% 19% 20% 16%

19. Do you think that men and women are paid equally for equal work?

Yes 48% 33% 63% 40%

No 52% 67% 32% 64%

20. You worry more about:

Finding a good job 72% 73% 71% 59%

Finding a good spouse 28% 27% 27% 57%

21. Do you think a female president will be elected in your lifetime?

Yes 52% 58% 29% 69%

No 48% 42% 51% 33%

22. Do you expect your future spouse to work outside the home?

Yes 80% 95% 73% 98%

No 20% 5% 27% 3%

23. If you have children, who will handle most of the child care?

I'll do most of child care 4% 16% 0 10%

Spouse will do most 17% 2% 20% 2%

We'll share equally 79% 82% 78% 90%

24a. When people find out that a boy has had sex, it hurts his reputation at school?

Agree 22% 15% 7% 16%

Disagree 78% 85% 90% 84%

24b. When people find out that a girl has had sex, it hurts her reputation at school?

Agree 70% 87% 76% 84%

Disagree 30% 13% 22% 14%