A neighborhood's reaction to the announcement of a school closing involves the five progressive stages Elisabeth Kubler-Ross describes as inevitable for one's reaction to the death of a friend or relative. (DCS)

The role of the teacher in a positive school-community relationship is extremely important since it is the teacher who is the backbone of the educational system. Although school boards create school policy and administrators interpret these policies, teachers are the personnel who implement school policy. Teachers must also be prepared to make the…

Local districts can assess public opinion concerning the schools by adapting the questions asked and the data analysis methods used in national Gallup polls for use in local surveys. A comparison of national poll results with results of polls in four Arizona cities illustrates the value of this concept. (PGD)

The manner in which the United States courts have attempted to establish the validity of remedies and gain public acceptance of court orders in desegregation issues has encouraged public resistance to desegregation laws. In education related matters, the courts usually call on the expertise of lawyers and university professionals who have little…

Input from 25 media groups, including the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), considered the image of women on television and radio as part of public hearings held by the California Commission on the Status of Women. Presentations included here touch on the citizen's role in assuring fair treatment…

Some of the New Right's criticisms of our education system, particularly those relating to sex and values education, reflect legitimate discontent in the wider population. School officials should be prepared to explain and defend their choice of curriculum materials; the best support for the public schools is an informed public. (Author/GC)

This statement, prepared by the National Council of Teachers of English, addresses the increasing problem of censorship in the public schools in the form of pressure to restrict or deny students access to certain books or periodicals deemed objectionable by individuals or groups on moral, political, religious, ethnic, racial, or philosophical…

It is argued that colleges tend to have a high opinion of themselves and would be wise to learn how their various publics (community, business community, guidance counselors, college-bound students, parents, current students, alumni, staff) perceive them. Comparison with competitors and monitoring of change over time is also recommended. (MSE)

More than one-third of U.S. newspapers use various kinds of systematic survey research other than that provided by Gallup or Harris, and broadcast networks have polling units that are part of their news divisions. However, as most of the media employ them, opinion polls provide a genuine basis for "broad, sweeping generalizations." News…

The student editor and faculty advisor of a high school newspaper discuss reactions to a feature on gays, lesbians, and homophobia that caused great controversy in the school's community. Acceptance of diversity, which motivated the topic selection in the first place, also grew from acknowledging the responses of the community. (SLD)

Surveys the textbook censorship picture over the past decade with particular attention to the activities of Tim LaHaye and Norma and Mel Gabler. Suggests 10 steps teachers can take to try and protect controversial texts from censorship. (RBW)

It is increasingly clear that even the best schools must engage in systematic and continuous appraisal of their performance, in partnership with the community. A joint planning process could start by engaging citizens in identifying critical issues, relevant assets, and key strategies that can move the community toward a preferred future. Chapter…

This is the record of a series of Congressional subcommittee hearings on the progress, problems, and effectiveness of desegregation efforts in public schools. Included are statements and testimonies of educators, social scientists, legal scholars, public officials, and parents on the relative advantages and disadvantages of various desegregation…