Portland Public Schools serves nearly 50,000 students in 90 schools averaging 77 years of age. Building age combined with decades of deferred maintenance created serious health and safety issues, numerous unfavorable media reports, and an irate public. In response, PPS Board of Directors commissioned an independent evaluation of various…

A chemistry professor emeritus explains the misguided association between gout and genius. Gout, a genetic disease arising from overproduction of uric acid, was prevalent in many historical, upper-class male figures. Gout is equally prevalent in poor rural blacks. Since both populations probably suffered from ingesting lead-poisoned alcoholic…

According to the U.S. Public Health Service, lead poisoning remains the most common and societally devastating environmental disease of young children. About 16 percent all American children have blood lead levels in the neurotoxic range. Being poor dramatically increases this risk. The lead industry has long camouflaged lead's toxicity.…

Educators will meet increasing numbers of children who are homeless, exposed to toxic substances, or infected with the HIV virus. The articles in this special section address the implications of these conditions for assessment, instruction, and administrative planning. Media-generated myths and misconceptions about the effects of these conditions…

Educators should banish the specter of African-American children as high-risk, budding disasters and closely examine these children's schooling environment. Black children of all incomes are schooled in highly segregated settings, due to residential segregation. Exposure to health hazards (lead-based paint) and corporal punishment are serious…