This cross-case case study explores how two White principals took the first steps to engage in racial conversations. Using the constructs of race consciousness and antiracism, race neutrality, and resistance to racial dialogue to frame our findings, we illustrate how both principals broached the topic of race with staff members. We demonstrate how…

Ressler's "Dramatic Changes" is a powerful guide for anyone brave enough to create a space for young people to discuss sexual orientation and gender identity. Her accessible style and tangible suggestions describe a creative and educationally sound approach to supporting youth in thoughtfully wrestling with one of the most controversial social…

Stephan Cohen provides a unique comparative study of three queer youth groups that were active in New York City during the early 1970s, including Gay Youth, Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), and Gay International Youth Society at George Washington High School. Cohen focuses on these three groups due to the related characteristics…

In recent years, filmmakers have begun to confront discriminatory images in film and other media, using their art to educate audiences and challenge visual arts colleagues to think more deeply about the messages they send to consumers. Reviews some of the most important and powerful of these films released in the past decade. (SM)

Reviews the book, "Bringing in a New Era in Character Education," a collection of essays by prominent social critics and social scientists. Suggests that the book shows that the character education movement is a reaction to the moral vacuum created by the transformations of the middle and late 20th century. Notes that most of the essays…

We need a "new story" that replaces materialistic and exploitative cultural values with respect for others and the environment. Creation of this new story begins by retelling our experiences of connecting to nature in the outdoors. "The Universe Story" (Brian Swimme, Thomas Berry) combines spirituality with science to trace…

Reviews elementary school books that help steer children away from the commercial aspects of gift giving and receiving during the holiday season and focus on the gifts of caring, generosity, selflessness, friendship, and tolerance. Teaching tips, class discussions, and literary tie-ins are included. (SM)

Three books, published 1999-2000, map out a vision of education as a vehicle for human emancipation and global transformation. Their approaches to presenting the "big picture" differ, focusing on case studies of learning through local social action; the impact of Che Guevara and Paulo Freire on liberation discourse worldwide; and comprehensive…

Five books, representing a small selection of possible readings on necessary changes of the human mind, point to a convergence of interest from different fields of study toward the need for modern society to develop the capacity to respond to the complexity of modern life and the newly acquired ability to destroy life on an unprecedented scale.…

Reviews two books on white identity in multicultural education, examining trends toward linking white race consciousness to effective multicultural pedagogy (which multicultural proponents either embrace or ignore) and discussing whether this discourse advances the field. Suggests that if these texts are designed for preparing white teachers for…

Barbie is presented as the perfect cultural site for interrogating margins, borders, and contradictions in females' lives. This article illuminates such issues by interrogating the "cumulative cultural text of Barbie." Texts criticized are: Barbie collector cards; "Barbie" and "Barbie Fashion" comic books;…

Provides an integrative essay that explores three books and their contributions to feminism and women's studies in higher education. Indicates that only one of the three works managed to escape the tendency of academic and popular media to either valorize or demonize feminists and their pursuits. (MAB)

In Louisiana, it is estimated that almost 33% of school-age children are at risk for becoming overweight or are already overweight (Louisiana Office of Public Health, 2004). Studies have shown that poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and weight problems often associated with being overweight adversely affect academic performance in school…

Multicultural literature can help elementary students learn about cultural differences and racial bias and examine their prejudices and stereotypes. Critiques five children's books that emphasize the African American experience. These books do not challenge racism or provide critical explanations about why characters were treated in a racist…

Reviews documentary and ethnographic films that examine gender-related issues, summarizing each film and analyzing its relevance to multicultural and social justice education. The films are: "The Fairer Sex?"; "Macho, 2000"; "The Pill"; "Step by Step: Building a Feminist Movement"; "I am a Man";…