WILL Saletan (thanks Mark) at Slate has a really nice examination and summary of the Larry Summers controversy, and it's the last thing I'll say on the issue.
The only implication I'd draw immediately is that it may prove easier to equalize gender representation in math and science in high school than in college, and easier to equalize it among students than among professors. Equal representation should be a goal that prods us toward equal opportunity, but the two mustn't be confused. Last year Harvard offered only four of 32 tenured positions in the arts and sciences to women.
While I don't think Summer's comments were as outraging as first reports might have lead you to believe, I do think that as the President of Harvard, he could have used more common sense regarding his position and how it is viewed, in making them. Having the President of Harvard stand in front of an audience and give even the hint of discouragement to women in academics is poor judgement at best and in poor taste at least.
Oh, and hop over to Ann Althouse and read her take on this too.
I don't oppose legitimate scientific research into biological differences or think people should be gasping with horror at offhand speculation about biological sex differences, but we can properly demand that presidents of universities do a first-rate job of speaking in public about such things.
