In this response article, the author agrees with Jacobson that the labeling of individuals as "hard to serve" is unfortunate and misdirected in that it suggests that these students are somehow deficient and are the problem rather than identifying complex systemic issues that make some adult education programs necessary in the first…

Legislation to outlaw discrimination has existed for over forty years. The Equality Act (2010) states that it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a candidate for a job because of their age, disability, race, belief, sexual orientation or gender in any part of the recruitment process--in job descriptions, person specifications,…

This article has its origins in the Macpherson report's contention that public organisations in British society are characterised by institutional racism. Drawing upon the Parekh report's identification of ten components of institutional racism, the article examines which, if any, of these components are manifest in a university in Central England…

When charter schools first emerged nearly two decades ago, critics claimed they would promote segregation by serving privileged white students whose families take advantage of choice. But state laws, philanthropists, and charter school founders targeted these new schools to serve disadvantaged students in urban districts. Critics then tried to…

In his recent speech at a Harvard commencement ceremony, Bill Gates said that "reducing inequity is the highest human achievement." He recognizes that the problems of global health in this world, the challenges of alleviating poverty and despair, and the wide disparities in educational attainment require significant investment by those…

The face of New England is changing. Immigrant populations, people from low-income families, and young people of color are now among the fastest-growing populations in New England. In addition, the foundation of the region's economic prosperity is expected to be intellectual. In this article, the authors discuss how New England's six land-grant…

Reflecting on the 2008 election, Prudence Carter challenges the popular notion that President Obama's victory is symbolic of a postracial society in the United States. Citing statistics about the opportunity gap that still exists in our nation's schools--as well as the recent Supreme Court cases that served to halt racial desegregation--Carter…

Minority communities' survival is dependent on their ability to grow and develop economically as America moves into an age of computer technology and telecommunications. In order to do this, minorities must attain and maintain equal access to the new technology. (GC)

The "achievement gap" is one of the most disturbing phenomena in American education. Teachers want to close the gap in their own schools--but because the gap is rooted in longstanding and widespread problems, the task sometimes feels like a monumental undertaking. This fall, Teaching Tolerance launched the Teaching Diverse Students Initiative…

According to government guidelines an employer must not maintain personnel practices that show adverse impact. Because selection cases are the most common, they have set the standards for how adverse impact is typically determined. The most common way to demonstrate adverse impact is to show that the proportion of minorities hired is less than…

Two tenets of U.S. ideology are equality of opportunity and social mobility. However, class-based analysis shows that higher education uses meritocratic rather democratic norms, limiting educational opportunities for the poor, the working class, and racial minorities. (SK)

Discusses the representation of women in the labor force and their concentration of employment in a few occupations. Projects that unless changes are made in the ways women are orientated to and prepared for the labor force, employment opportunities will continue to occur in the fields in which women are already well represented. (LRA)

This paper contends that recent evidence provides a long-term rationale for supporting desegregated schooling which is not generally given as a pro-desegregation argument: the reduction of specific barriers that exclude minorities from opportunities for career success. The evidence shows that black workers are overrepresented in a restricted range…

The reports on excellence in education ignore the class and race distinctions in U.S. society. Education most needs an effective family policy to cope with the increasing number of female-headed households, especially among Blacks. Minorities will benefit little from affirmative action if we restrict educational opportunities today. (KH)

Discusses the status of minorities and women in research and the barriers posed by background and institutional factors. Describes a project implemented in a university setting and designed to (1) increase the pool of trained minority and female researchers, and (2) advance research skills by providing training opportunities. (Author/GC)