Provides demographic profiles from "Executive Educator's" fourth annual survey of U.S. school executives. Regarding disaster preparedness, only a small percentage of all districts in earthquake-prone areas have earthquake and fire action plans. Concerning controversial issues, teaching about substance abuse, child abuse, and teen suicide meets…

Lists Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) resources that will help bring science, technology, and society (STS) into the classroom. The annotated bibliography of seven references includes Faith Hickman's framework for curriculum reform, which compares the present trend of teaching STS-related social problems with historical trends. (LS)

Examines the social conscience of science teachers as it bears on the teaching of controversial issues. Explores teachers' perceptions of the teaching of controversial issues, the problem of handling personal value positions when dealing with issues, and the tension that exists between the teaching of controversial issues and traditional…

"Teaching for Social Justice," by Ayers, Hunt, and Quinn, advocates inclusion of social-justice concerns as part of schools' official curriculum. Although the authors do not move some issues far enough, the book can serve as a primer for teachers concerned about social justice and democratic values. (MLH)

Five secondary school biology textbooks were selected for this study: the 1973 edition of the BSCS Blue Version, "Biological Science, Molecules to Man"; the 1973 edition of the BSCS Green Version, "Biological Science, An Ecological Approach"; the 1973 edition of the BSCS Yellow Version, "An Inquiry into Life"; the…

Discusses a strategy used to incorporate value-related issues into introductory chemistry. Indicates that the approach, necessarily limited to few topics each year, encourages students to reflect on the causes and effect of science-related social issues and to define their personal values. (JN)

Social studies materials for secondary grades containing case studies of social problems which require critical thinking skills are assessed and described. (SM)

Offers a critical look at the media's role in presenting social issues, in particular, the reporting on riots in Los Angeles in spring 1992. Describes the Metropolitan Area Educators for Social Responsibility's Resolving Conflict Creatively Program and efforts to help teachers cope with children's questions and fears. (DMM)

Employs the concepts of taboos and noas to investigate the perceptions of science teachers of controversial topics and curriculum infusion. Describes and analyzes teachers' (n=5) Science-Technology-Society (STS) classroom practices after an STS inservice experience. Teachers' coverage of controversial STS topics appears related to perceptions of…

Offers readers a personal view of "Junk," a controversial novel about the young homeless, by Melvyn Burgess. Analyzes and critiques the book, concluding that the book has a mission to show how misconceived an "initial drug high" is without "wagging its finger" at the reader. (SC)

This study systematically analyzed social and cognitive processes that underlie the development of argumentative knowledge. Group discussions of controversial issues and explicit instruction in argumentation were expected to help students acquire a sense of the overall structure of an argument, or an argument schema. In a quasi-experiment, 128…

The author analyzes attitudes and court decisions about the Pledge of Allegiance. He suggests a more rational approach with an awareness that patriotism cannot be forced and that mere recitation cannot achieve allegiance. (Author/JR)

The purpose of this article is to use the vehicle of a controversial issue--abortion--as a means of illustrating the advantages of teaching such issues through a problem-solving method. Discussion ideas and resources are presented. (Author/JR)

Reviews Elie Wiesel's "Night," an account of his Holocaust experiences. Concludes that what is important is not that students' questions be answered, but that people continue to ask them. (EL)

Each year the Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) seeks to create a mock trial that addresses serious matters facing young people today. In recent times, the actions and behaviors of student groups on high school and college campuses have become major stories in the national media. Incidents of hazing and peer pressure have raised questions…