This article examines the history textbooks available in 1998 for adoption in the United States at both the high school and elementary levels. New books have appeared on the scene since the last textbook adoption series. California begins its textbook considerations in August. The California adoption will rekindle national interest in the content…

The Arab world holds a storied place in western history and is a significant area today culturally, economically, and politically, with its more than 190 million people sharing a common heritage with the West. The Arab world merits serious study in U.S. schools; however, it is often misrepresented in U.S. textbooks. This notebook is written as an…

The media selection guidelines in this booklet have been developed to further emphasize fairness and respect for all individuals in Saskatchewan (Canada) schools. The six forms of bias that may appear in learning materials include: (1) invisibility--underrepresenting certain groups; (2) stereotyping--assigning rigid roles or attributes to a group;…

A widely held view of multicultural curricula sees them as strategies for improving academic performance and enhancing self-esteem among students whose racial, ethnic or language heritage differs from that of the Anglo-European population. There are others, however, who hold the view that culturally responsive curricula benefit all students. A…

This document reports on an investigation focusing on how the content of introductory college psychology texts' content related to physical attractiveness and self-esteem. The primary objective of this study was to review how recently published life-span developmental texts present physical development in middle childhood as related to traditional…

In the past, science textbooks have been the target of criticism by educators and feminists in studies of sex bias in education. The purpose of this study was to develop a useful tool that could be used in formative or summative evaluation of the level of sexism in science textbooks and as a research tool to study the effect of sexist…

This is a collection of articles in which the treatment of Puerto Ricans in published children textbooks over the past 10 years is reviewed. The collection is preceded by an editorial responding to an "American Educator" article branding the Council on Interracial Books for Children as a "leftist extremist" organization. The…

This student's guide to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 identifies and discusses sex discrimination, sexual stereotyping, and sexual bias in: (1) athletic programs; (2) physical education; (3) vocational education; (4) school rules, customs and policies; and (5) curriculum materials. The guide provides students with the correct…

Research on changing attitudes toward parenthood among college students was expanded to include a study of textbooks to determine if they were reflective of the changes. A sample of 980 undergraduate female home economics students in four universities in the Midwest and West Coast areas were involved in this decade retesting of Maxwell and…

This study, using extensive data collected by the Educational Testing Service in 1974, examines four categories of interventions that may influence interracial behaviors and attitudes in schools. The categories examined are: (1) attempts to change teacher or principal attitudes by means of workshops; (2) attempts to change student attitudes by…

One of a series of instructional packets to aid schools in reducing sex stereotypes, this inservice guide for use with school personnel is designed to increase their awareness of ways textbooks and instructional materials contribute toward limiting student options. Included are avenues personnel can take to counter stereotypical messages relayed…

Based on an examination of 50 general social studies textbooks, the report discusses the most frequently found biases, misconceptions, omissions, inaccuracies, and misrepresentations. Criteria for judging the textbooks include: readable and suitable materials; accurate and current content; presentation of Africa as a diverse continent; open…

This issue of the "Interracial Books for Children Bulletin" has three major articles. The first deals with the book titled, "The Five Chinese Brothers". This is one of the most widely circulated children's books in the United States. Although this book has been tauted as being authentically "Chinese", it is being…

Thirty-six textbooks used by the Pittsburgh public schools at grade levels K-5 were reviewed to see how they treat girls vs. boys and men vs. women. Language, reading, science, social studies, and mathematics texts were evaluated. Blatant sexism is found in all areas. Different ideas of behavior and mores are propagated for boys than for girls;…

Advocates the use of sociological topics, such as North American Indians, in teaching English in Grades 5-10. Criticizes five texts currently used in various types of German schools for their stereotyped approach, and suggests certain supplementary texts as antidotes. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)