Increasing student agency doesn't mean having students choose among preselected options in their learning experience. Understanding what it means to have agency and the power of using one's voice are life skills that should start being developed in the classroom. Tanji Reed Marshall, director of P-12 practice at The Education Trust, explains why…

The authors note that when it comes to balancing free speech and schools' responsibilities, the online world is largely uncharted waters. Questions remain about the rights of both students and teachers in the world of social media. Although the lower courts have ruled that students' freedom of speech rights offer them some protection for…

Agrees with John Goodlad's analysis of schooling in an article in this issue but disagrees with those who maintain that parents want babysitting rather than education. (JM)

In basic agreement with an article by John Goodlad in this issue, the author briefly outlines steps a school can take to reassess its goals and formulate an improvement program. (JM)

Provides a critique and a defense of Maryland's Project Basic, a curriculum design that uses adult activities as the source of objectives for the curriculum. (Author/MLF)

Despite legal protections since the 1960's, racism remains a serious problem for society and for schools. Physical attacks on minorities, racial clashes in schools, redlining, and stereotypes with racial overtones (like "welfare queen") are fairly commonplace. Schools need to teach appreciation of cultural differences and acknowledge minority…

Comprehensive sexuality education and education for a democracy have many important common features. They both seek to help individuals maintain physical and mental health, form and maintain stable relationships, develop decision-making skills, and develop a toleration for diversity. Sexuality education should encourage freedom of thought--not…

The first federal Internet privacy law (the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) provides safeguards for children by regulating collection of their personal information. Unfortunately, teens are not protected. Legislation is pending to protect children from online marketers such as ZapMe! Interactive technologies require constant vigilance.…

Attempts to integrate the findings of John Goodlad's "A Study of Schooling" described in another article in this issue with the findings of the effective schools movement. (JM)

In the hundreds of studies that have been done, a persistent relationship has been found between various aspects of self-perception and a wide variety of school-related variables. (Author)

As four recent events in the Denver area show, parents' rights and society's needs sometimes collide, with battles often fought in public schools. This issue should be explicitly recognized in school policy. Policymakers should address disputed facts; develop guidelines for including parents in determining outcomes, solutions, and evaluation…

A futurist predicts a renaissance in schooling because of the oncoming information era and because new people moving into positions of responsibility will generate enthusiasm for "making tomorrow work" in school and society. (MLF)

High schools should be as concerned about placement of students who do not go to college as with those who do. (Author)

Teachers can provide an effective counterbalance to the effects of an abusive home. They should not allow their skeptical attitudes, fear of liability, defensiveness about discipline, or religious and political affiliations to cloud their perceptions. Teachers can help hurting children by attending to their basic needs for warmth and security,…

Although no school is immune from violence, a school can increase its resistance by identifying and seeking consensus about a safety problem, organizing a central committee, studying the problem, formulating a plan, conducting a safety audit, and training crisis response teams. Taking action to lessen staff's fears and vulnerability can improve…