This study addresses concern about bias in educational materials for elementary school pupils. Children's storybooks were examined for the appearance of biases across the cultural categories of race, ethnicity, gender, age, socioeconomic level, religion, and environmental background. These biases included stereotyping, invisibility (omission of…

These guidelines are meant to assist parents and educators in identifying books for children that are free of sexism, racism, ageism, and classism. Methods for analyzing both storybooks and textbooks for bias are presented. Special emphasis is placed on evaluating basal readers and history texts. A number of evaluative checklists are presented…

Discusses the fact that, although publishers have acknowledged the problem of sex bias in textbooks in the United States, guidelines lack specifics, timetables, and procedures for monitoring content and enforcing compliance with the guidelines. (MB)

The problem of deficient and inaccurate teaching materials is identified and documented--a total approach to the problem would see the removal of all elementary school textbooks with tacit or implicit sexism, racism, ethnic bias and stereotyping in their stories' plots, language, and illustrations. (MM)

This paper addresses the types of gender bias stereotyping that has been prevalent in children's books and its impact on children. Results are presented of a gender role model analysis that used the International Reading Association's Children's Choices book list, and recommendations are given to help correct and balance gender stereotypes when…

Children's literature and school texts have reflected society's relegation of women to inferior, passive roles; while there is now an awareness that stereotypes and sexist terms should be eliminated, there is the danger that overreaction will diminish literary quality. (JD)

This book is the result of a study that investigated the influence of "machismo" (a set of attitudes, beliefs, and behavior that perpetuates the myth of male superiority) in elementary education. The study included (1) a content analysis of textbooks used in Spanish and social studies classes in public and private schools in Puerto Rico…

A content analysis of a 1976 series of primary reading textbooks was conducted to analyze salient factors affecting female role socialization. Examined in its entirety, the series was designed for grades one through six and contained 573 entries and 4,831 illustrations. In each of the textbooks, regardless of grade level, twice as many males as…

Reports results on an analysis of five seventh grade life science textbooks for sexist language, images, and curricular content. Authors conclude that sexist language and images exist in these textbooks. The content of all of the books contained a relatively low level of integration of achievements of women scientists and a lack of information…

Examines whether elementary textbooks enhance a socially active mathematics education program. Reports that young females and minorities are adequately portrayed in five mathematics textbook series; representation of careers, however, is less than adequate. Sixteen references are listed. (YP)

Background information about gender inequity is provided, and the assertion is made that educators must recognize that many of the problems females encounter are begun and perpetuated in the schools. Visual literacy is part of the change that schools must make in order to make greater strides toward gender equity. Two connections between visual…

To determine whether elementary reading textbooks from a socialist country contained less sex-role stereotyping than previously-studied United States readers, an analysis of 374 books from the German Democratic Republic (G.D.R.) was undertaken. A sex bias index was calculated for both the G.D.R. and the U.S. books by finding the average difference…

Analysis of sex and race representation in almost 3000 stories drawn from 77 basal readers in 7 series published between 1980 and 1982 shows that, although minority and female numerical representation has increased, there has been little progress in role models offered. In terms of representation in the labor force, males of all races were…

To draw the attention of teachers to the many kinds of bias that can be found in print, the 10 chapters of this monograph review a number of studies of ways in which biased texts may affect children's attainments as well as their attitudes. The chapters that comprise Parts One and Two center on the more specific issues that relate to the influence…

Reviews research about racial, ethnic, and sexual stereotypes in elementary science textbooks. Describes the demographics of the United States population as of 1980. Compares these demographics to representations in textbooks. Recommends three corrections that need to be made if schools are to attend to the social message in curricular materials.…