THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES THREE PROMINENT ISSUES OF CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN EDUCATION--UNEQUAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, ACADEMIC FREEDOM, AND THE TEACHER AS A PROFESSIONAL WORKER. THE FIRST OF THESE ISSUES IS EXAMINED UNDER THE RUBRICS OF (1) THE GOALS OF INTEGRATION, (2) THE SEPARATION OF EDUCATION FROM INTEGRATION, (3) COMPENSATORY EDUCATION, (4) QUALITY EDUCATION AND "WHITENESS," (5) STATISTICAL INTEGRATION AND CULTURAL ISOLATION, (6) PATERNALISTIC AND PATRONIZING ATTITUDES, AND (7) POLITICS AND SCHOOL REFORM. IN A FINAL SECTION DEALING SPECIFICALLY WITH ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND THE TEACHING PROFESSIONAL, AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO RELATE THESE ISSUES. THIS DOCUMENT IS CHAPTER 6 OF AHMANN, MATHEW, AND ROACH, MARGARET, EDS., "THE CHURCH AND THE URBAN RACIAL CRISIS," PUBLISHED FOR $2.95 BY DIVINE WORD PUBLICATIONS, TECHNY, ILLINOIS. (MM)