Male advocacy group files legal complaint against Pacific Science Center for girl-specific programs

Complaint claims the museum is violating equal protections clause by excluding boys

Pacific Science Center sign (photo credit: University of Washington)

Pacific Science Center sign (photo credit: University of Washington)

The Global Initiative for Boys and Men has filed a legal complaint against the Pacific Science Center for offering girls-specific educational programming but not boys-specific programs.

GIBM President Sean Kullman said because the Pacific Science Center receives federal and state grants and works with various public educational entities, it is required to abide by the equal protections clause.

He pointed to several years of recent Form 990 records that reveal government grant contributions in excess of $7.5 million to the Pacfic Science Center.

“Civil rights laws are clear and ‘extend to all state education agencies, elementary and secondary school systems, colleges and universities, vocational schools, proprietary schools, state vocational rehabilitation agencies, libraries and museums that receive federal financial assistance,’” Kullman said.

Kullman says that for the Pacific Science Center to offer girls-only programs and camps without offering boys-only programming is to deny educational access and options to children and their parents on the basis of sex.

In correspondence with Kullman, PSC Vice President of Development Paul Chiocco and Chief Marketing Officer Eleanor Bradley said that only 12 of the 251 virtual and in-person summer camps ran by the museum were marketed as “girl-only,” and claimed that they “would never, and have never excluded a boy from participating in these programs, should they have the interest.”

Director of Marketing for PSC Liisa O’Neill said: “We know that stereotypes, social expectations, and lack of representation dissuade girls from pursuing interests in STEM. The mission of our Girls-Focused Camp Program is to offer unique experiences that help youth identifying as female or non-binary overcome these types of limitations.”

She also pointed out the underrepresentation of females in STEM, citing that in 2017, only 29 percent of students completing AP Computer Science were female. In 2015, only 34 percent of students completing associate’s degrees or bachelor’s degrees in STEM were female and only 22 percent completed degrees in computer science.

But Kullman said he believes the confidence boost, supportive friendships and unique experiences that are advertised in the girls-only programs would be beneficial to boys as well.




Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in News

King County Crime Dive podcast.
2 injured in shootout; man stabbed in tent | King County Crime Dive

In this episode, we take a closer look at a shootout in Auburn, a stabbing in a wooded area in Renton, and a smash-and-grab burglary in Federal Way.

Inside the SCORE jail, 20817 17th Ave. S., Des Moines. (File photo)
King County will no longer house inmates at SCORE jail

The cities of Renton, Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, SeaTac and Tukwila own the facility

King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn (File photo)
King County Councilmember calls for audit of juvenile diversion programs

Reagan Dunn says the program lacks transparency and accountability measures.

t
Kent Police Blotter: Sept. 11-24

Incidents include multiple store robberies, carjacking, 5 shot at Airbnb party

Screenshot of SUDORS from Dept. of Health website
Dept. of Health launches dashboard to track overdose death data

DOH aims to help communities better understand overdose deaths, make informed prevention decisions

A red-light camera sign at Pacific Highway South and Kent Des Moines Road, one of six intersections where the city of Kent has had cameras since 2019. COURTESY FILE PHOTO, Kent Police
Kent to activate red-light cameras at another intersection

Cameras installed at 108th Avenue SE and SE 208th Street in Panther Lake

File photo.
Dept. of Commerce awards $35.4 million for solar power projects across the state

Projects across King County were awarded millions in collective funding.

Fall City branch of the King County Library System. Courtesy photo
King County Library System receives grant to develop a climate action plan

The National Endowment for the Humanities gave a $133,252 grant to help develop climate initiatives.

t
Slow, swerving driver in Kent leads to DUI arrest by police

Auburn woman, 55, eventually stopped by officers trying to enter Highway 167

Most Read