The Audubon Park Elementary School PTA is hosting a science, technology, engineering and math event that has been promoted as a mothers
Now a large group is demanding that the event be open to female students as well.
The STEM event is called "A
"My son is 7 now and there's never been a mother-son event at any of the schools we've attended. It's always father
She said she didn't realize that the event focused on the STEM curriculum, an educational focus that she said should not exclude girls.
""(I'm) extremely surprised. I didn't know there was a connection between STEM and Night at the Museum, but that's not good to just promote it for the boys, definitely not,. I have a daughter as well," Ochipinti said.
Helena Zubkow started a Change.org petition after hearing about the event from another parent at the school.
"It's disconcerting to see an elementary school discouraging girls from entering this field, even subliminally. It's really something that needs to be reversed," Zubkow said.
Zubkow said she is not a parent, but her career is in technology. She said events like the planned Audubon Park Elementary School event could discourage girls from pursuing careers STEM-related fields.
The way to cut the number down is not to exclude one gender, Zubkow said.
An Orange County School District representative said the district doesn't control how PTA groups run their events.
Now a large group is demanding that the event be open to female students as well.
The STEM event is called "A
"My son is 7 now and there's never been a mother-son event at any of the schools we've attended. It's always father
She said she didn't realize that the event focused on the STEM curriculum, an educational focus that she said should not exclude girls.
""(I'm) extremely surprised. I didn't know there was a connection between STEM and Night at the Museum, but that's not good to just promote it for the boys, definitely not
Helena Zubkow started a Change.org petition after hearing about the event from another parent at the school.
"It's disconcerting to see an elementary school discouraging girls from entering this field, even subliminally. It's really something that needs to be reversed," Zubkow said.
Zubkow said she is not a parent, but her career is in technology. She said events like the planned Audubon Park Elementary School event could discourage girls from pursuing careers STEM-related fields.
The way to cut the number down is not to exclude one gender, Zubkow said.
An Orange County School District representative said the district doesn't control how PTA groups run their events.
Late Tuesday afternoon, following the report on Eyewitness News, the PTA said that they are now opening the event to female students.
WFTV
