Exxon Mobil has a new commercial out touting their new initiative to increase the number of math and science teachers in the US. the initiative was apparently formed in 2006 (see here).
The commercial touting the program shows a bunch of little kids at a driving range, all struggling to hit the ball. How cute. But what in the hell does golf have to do with math and science teachers??? Perhaps the commercial is a tip of the hat to one of the campaign's sponsors, Phil Mickelson, a pro golfer, but it doesn't mention that any where in the ad.
I also noted that the ad showed at least a dozen boys, and one lone girl. And am I wrong, or is golf considered more of a manly past-time than a feminine one? Haven't there been a spate of recent lawsuits against golf clubs in recent years where women have sued because they were only allowed to choose tee-off times after the men had their pick, and/or women weren't allowed to play in professional and/or amateur tournaments?
So, we have a commercial touting the need for more math and science teachers, and the ratio of female to male kids in the ad is actually way less than the national average female:male ratios graduating with BSc's in math and science. And they are playing a game traditionally associated with males.
Sigh.
