A school is a place where people, especially children, go to learn from teachers. It can also mean a particular level or type of education.
From Old English “scol,” from Latin “schola,” from Greek “scholē” meaning “leisure, discussion, learning.” Time away from work slowly came to mean time used for study.
The original idea of “school” was not strict classrooms, but free time for thoughtful discussion. The word started out closer to “chilling and thinking” than “homework and tests.”
Schools have long reflected gendered access: in many regions, girls were excluded or tracked into limited curricula, and women educators were concentrated in lower-paid positions. Language around ‘schoolboys’ and ‘schoolgirls’ often carried different expectations and stereotypes.
Use gender-neutral terms like “students,” “pupils,” or “learners” when gender is irrelevant, and avoid reinforcing stereotypes about subjects suited to one gender.
["educational institution","learning community"]
Women teachers and education reformers were crucial in expanding schooling and literacy, especially for girls, though their leadership was often minimized in official histories.
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