Various education theories are examined to explain the child's need for a Mediated Learning Experience (MLE), an interaction with another human who interprets the world. Five criteria of MLEs are described, and types of deprivation and their results are discussed. (MJB)

The implications of the International School Psychology Committee's Declaration of the Psychological Rights of the Child are reviewed from the perspective of the life-span developmentalist. Primary focus is on how children's rights change from conception to adolescence. A critique of previous attempts to define children's rights is included.…

The history of American education's efforts to fulfill responsibilities for the moral and spiritual development of students is described. Views of Kohlberg and Fowler concerning stages of development are discussed. Recent research findings are presented, and implications for educational approaches are suggested. (Author/PP)

Recent thinking about the components of sexual identity (biological sex, gender identity, sexual preference, and social sex role) are examined. It is argued that confusion between correlation and causality in these areas restrict the development of all children. Examples and suggestions for avoiding stereotyping of school children are given.…

Past and present family conditions (spousal relations, parental views of children, and child-rearing approaches) are discussed in light of their impact on children's psychological rights. Concern is expressed over the precarious current environment for children's rights and the even more uncertain future. (PP)