While in the classroom, it is evident that men and women are equal, but they are far from similar. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, high school boys are 30 percent more likely to flunk out of a class than girls.

What causes this alarming statistic to be so drastic?

While observing an 11^th grade United States History class, I began to hypothesize a few different possibilities. Many of the boys seemed to be much too enveloped in the contents of the Zip-Loc bags sitting temptingly in front of them. There were a total of 27 students in the class. Six of them had snacks on their desks, and none of those six were girls.

However, girls were distracted too. I observed the average desk of a girl to be cluttered with a coat, more pencils than necessary, and often times a phone nestled behind the backpack that sat inconspicuously on the edge of the desk. Instagram windows were opened, and Facebook statuses were being uploaded as follows, “In class… Booooorrinngg.”

Also nestled behind the canvas bag would often lay a notebook, being filled top to bottom with notes.

This is opposed to the notebook of many of the males in the class. Their notebooks could be found poking out of their backpacks which found residence on the floor. When their notebook was on their desk, I observed drawings, poorly done, of skateboarders and skiers. On more than one occasion, the drawing consisted of some sort of gory peril for the subjects being created by the tip of their pencil.

It became very clear that both males and females faced the torment of distraction while in the classroom. What remained very unclear was how on earth the distraction experienced by males was 30 percent more likely to flunk them out of a class in comparison to girls.

I began to focus on personal, self-inflicted mannerisms, such as participation and eye contact. These mannerisms had little reflection on the influence of outside forces. Girls often shot glances up at their teacher either between texts or notes; whichever applicable. Boys on the other hand, allowed their eyes to grasp sight of the clock, their food, back to the clock, and to the girl beside them.

How obviously their eyes graced the bodies of their female peers, and with such a nonchalant concern for being caught in the act! Rarely did their girl counterparts realize that they were being preyed upon by the eyes of the boy across the classroom.

When they did, they made sure their “BFF” sitting in the seat beside knew of the monstrosity as well. Girls know the system. They watch the eyes of the teacher, lock gaze with him until he feels uncomfortable enough to force his eyes away from the powerful adolescent. His eyes are turned away far enough for the girl to then communicate a world of knowledge, and a lifetime worth of gossip to their “bestie” without a single word exchanged.

The “bestie” listens with opens eyes, jaw dropping as she finds out that the eyes of Mr. X were undressing the body of her best friend. She shoots him a protective glance, assuming the role of mama bear. He is forced to accept the fact that he has been caught.

His eyes travel back to the baggie on his desk. He eats one cracker, looks up at “bestie” who is still mama bear, and then surrenders.

So, could it be that girls are the distractions that lead boys to be 30 percent more likely to flunk out of a class? And could it further be that girls know they are so? The female race has manipulated the workforce, is permeating the political world, and has now harnessed the power of hormonal manipulation.