This article examines the inconsistency between society's recognition of musical talent and athletic ability and the nonrecognition of intellectual giftedness. It explores reasons that teachers are resistant to acceleration, ability grouping, mentorships, recognition of academic achievement, provision of challenging work for gifted students, and…

Argues that customary presentations of data on Indian alcohol abuse and "related problems" distort the problem, undermine self-esteem of Indian communities, and lower the chances of success for community-based prevention and treatment programs. Suggests community-specific research on drinking patterns and problems and avoidance of…

As socially supported institutions, schools must take their share of the responsibility for developing a comprehensive curriculum about family life and sexuality education. Schools have the opportunity to integrate sound sexual information, understanding of attitudes, and the development of knowledge related to sexual matters along with…

People United for Rural Education (PURE), organized in Iowa in 1977, now has about 3,000 members in 23 states and 3 foreign countries. PURE's purpose is to ensure the survival of rural schools and to promote rural life as a viable and credible way of life. One of the organization's most difficult tasks is to counteract urban attitudes towards…

A minority group is a social category involving a clearly differentiated subpopulation within a larger collectivity on the basis of some common set of characteristics which are negatively evaluated by the dominant members of the collectivity. The following characteristics are attributed to negative evaluation: (1) members experience pejorative…

Racism does not necessarily involve race; as an ideology, racism can cut across all collective social groupings. Racism takes many forms, including (1) race prejudice; (2) social discrimination; (3) sexism; (4) anti-semitism; (5) White supremacy; (6) ebonicism, xanthicism, and redicism--racist beliefs against Blacks, Asians, and American Indians;…

The authors examine various excuses offered by teachers and administrators for educational mediocrity, such as "It's not my job.""We've always done it this way." and "There's not enough money." They then suggest a systematic approach to changing these negative attitudes and improving performance. (SJL)

This article discusses signs that America has adopted a negative view of gifted children, including the undermining of the Jacob Javits Act, grade inflation, and a shift in funding and legal mandates from the gifted toward students with disabilities or low achievement. Reasons for this trend and suggestions for responsive action are discussed. (PB)

Describes a plan for a professional development program in educational systems design to prepare facilitators in educational change and restructuring efforts. Highlights include roles in the change process; values and criteria for design; change strategies; emotional stages; attitudinal roadblocks; and needed competencies and skills, including…

A review of National Assessment of Educational Progress findings presents a picture of the reading attitudes of a large segment of the American population, and of the relationship between reading attitudes and reading performance. The findings show that a negative attitude toward reading exists, and that it increases with each year spent in…

This monograph is designed to give people engaged in human service activities some new and fresh ideas on how to handle stress, how to benefit from its positive aspects, and how to neutralize its detrimental effects. Part 1 provides a background statement and refers readers to an extensive bibliography provided at the end of the paper for those…

Studies have estimated that nearly 20 percent of high school students are experiencing life problems which can be directly attributed to their use of mood-altering chemicals. Many of these life problems, including truancy, declining academic performance, behavior problems, and chemical use itself, directly affect the school system. Any school…

An analysis is presented of the media and public reaction to a strike by state school teachers in New South Wales in 1981. It is pointed out that the media, intentionally and/or unintentionally, provided a biased view of teacher-related issues, which operated at an ideological level against the immediate and long-term interests of teachers.…

Thirty-seven sources, published from 1970 to 1979, which study male attitudes toward the changing role of women are documented. The findings are presented in nine sections which cover male socialization, the traditional male sex role, psychological conflicts, modern technology and the male sex role, male liberation, men in new professional roles,…

According to some civil rights advocates, vocational education has not served women and minorities; racial and sex biases remain. The author notes examples of this discrimination, both in goverment and in the education profession, and suggests steps to change programs with federal aid and to promote vocational education. (MF)