Women and people of colour are underrepresented in physics in many parts of the world, to the detriment of the field. How do academics' beliefs about the role of 'brilliance' in career success contribute to these representation gaps, and what can be done to address them?

While the research, theory and policy literature on race, class and gender discrimination in education is extensive, the problem of education-based discrimination itself has been widely overlooked. Indeed, the dominant ideologies of meritocracy and human capital (into which we are inculcated throughout our lives by schools, media and the state)…

It is argued that increasing pressure on graduate students and new doctorate recipients to publish is confusing entry-level faculty employment issues and stressing skills that may have little to do with the jobs available. Faculty are encouraged to protest the escalation of entry-level requirements and change unrealistic hiring practices. (MSE)

This interview with Woodrow B. Grant, Chief of the Equal Opportunity Office of the Maryland State Department of Education, explores challenges in educating African Americans, beginning with issues of teacher qualifications, expectations, and preparation and retraining for cultural awareness. The problems of young African-American males are…

The thesis of this article is that court reliance on objective job criteria as a basis for decisions in discrimination suits involving supervisorial or managerial employees is misplaced. Alternative remedies to the discriminatory use of subjective criteria in the selection and promotion of supervisorial and managerial employees are suggested.…

Argues that, when the results of downsizing affect blacks, it is assumed they will accept them, but when downsizing affects whites, they are ready to litigate and that the level of the employee's qualifications appears to be irrelevant. Suggests that the buy-out agreements in the Taxman v. Piscataway case deserve challenge. (MSE)

The author is a full-blood Saginaw Chippewa Indian tribal member who is trying to enter the world of academia late in life. He relates he has never been subjected to unfair treatment or criticism from others because of the color of his skin. He has taught part-time at the University of Texas College of Communications and last year at South Dakota…

A number of issues in the establishment of an Aboriginal university in Australia are examined, including support in the Aborigine population, academic standards, acceptance and recognition among mainstream institutions, racism, availability of qualified leadership, and site selection. A multicampus model is outlined. (MSE)

Recent court decisions provide legal guidelines for the construction of teacher qualification tests. Such tests have often led to the rejection of a disproportionally large percentage of minority applicants. Boards of education have the right to establish tests and other standards pertaining to teacher employment. It is unlawful, however, for an…

In this paper, the author looks back over some 43 years of involvement in language teaching and examines the progress educators have made as a profession. He also considers their present situation, given a Federal Government, which, at least until this year, has seemed antipathetic to languages education, and State and Territory Governments which,…

Opponents of teacher testing argue that such examinations prevent otherwise qualified minorities from entering the teaching profession. The article focuses on the California Basic Educational Skills Test, which some say is an IQ test disguised as a cognitive skills test that keeps out large numbers of minority teachers. (SM)

These proceedings consist of a summary of the presentations, recommendations, and outcomes of a conference held to assist minority women and men and nonminority women achieve leadership positions in Wisconsin's vocational, technical, and adult education (VTAE) system. Following a brief introduction and copy of the conference agenda, summaries are…

Based on the assumption that the survival of the nation's schools and their leaders depends on these leaders having real influence over the quality of schooling, this volume draws from the work of many authorities to look at leadership from three perspectives: the person, the structure, and the skills. Chapters focusing on the person who holds the…