Suggests that library media centers and public libraries are among the main institutions responsible for providing information on teenage pregnancy. Argues that the treatment of teen pregnancy as an "epidemic" by the United States government and the media, and the representation of pregnant girls in young adult fiction contribute to gender…

Argues that teaching for social justice is a viable science-education goal. Claims that the issues and challenges among science educators in Western and non-Western cultures are more similar than different, and that it is incumbent upon all cultures to contribute in meaningful ways to the development and environmental sustainability of our global…

Depicts a service learning program that focuses on homelessness and housing in which the students work in an urban neighborhood (Yonkers, New York) for a week as a means for developing the students' understanding of urban politics. Believes that this program may encourage students to integrate community development work into their professional…

Considers the role of social-science research in school desegregation efforts as a background to this collection of written reports, depositions, and testimony in the March 1996 hearings about whether the St. Louis (Missouri) school district had achieved unitary status, having done all it could to eliminate the wrongs of a racially dual school…

Presents the results of an undergraduate research project using geographic concepts and terminology to document the public perception of crime in a small New Zealand town. Original data were culled from a questionnaire which addressed such issues as direct victimization, fear of crime, and behavior restrictions and adaptation. (MJP)

Identifies and discusses recent decisions and upcoming cases of the Supreme Court that are likely to be of interest to teachers. Educational issues addressed include Internet access and censorship, affirmative action, sexual harassment, drug testing, and the separation of church and state. Includes a brief description Supreme Court duties. (MJP)

Updates cases and issues previously discussed in this regular column on human rights in Canada, including racism and anti-Semitism, laws on hate crimes, hate sites on the World Wide Web, the use of the "free speech" defense by hate groups, and legal challenges to antiracist groups by individuals criticized by them. (DSK)

Describes how applied developmental science (ADS) integrates developmental research with policies and programs promoting positive development or enhancing life chances of vulnerable children and families. Maintains that ADS contributes to social justice, promotes outreach, and serves as a model of how higher education may engage policymakers,…

The high-school problem is nothing new. In one of his early writings, James S. Coleman, the brilliant sociologist who later wrote the famous report on the equality of opportunity for education (the "Coleman Report") and the first study of public and private schools, identified the essential high-school problem: "our adolescents today are cut off,…

This article concerns an issue that often remains implicit within the public debate about affirmative action and related race-conscious education policies: What role do contested moral ideals play in the disagreement about affirmative action? As background, the article first outlines what a moral disagreement is and then goes on to examine the…

In his critique of academic writing about and public consumption of government policy and law, Jonathan Jansen uses his argument of the symbolic functions of education law and education policy as a basis for explaining the lack of progress in achieving equity and justice under "Brown v. Board of Education" (1954) in the United States and…

This article considers the notion of difference as we experience it in our daily lives, and specifically, within the classroom between pupils and teachers. Drawing on research and work with schools in the south of England, the paper describes how the Working with Others Unit at the University of Brighton has developed a practical process approach…

A sample of 3,484 incoming first-year students at a large, mid-Atlantic University were surveyed to assess a variety of attitudinal and behavioral variables pertinent to the college experience. The current study focused on how student value system orientation, or the degree to which values are open or closed, related to key aspects of college…

The fifth grade social studies curriculum includes a study democracy within the context of United Sates history. The traditional approach to teaching the material focuses on stories of the white, male heroes of American History and calls on students to be passive recipients of information. History is presented as a series of events that "just…

A study is conducted about including a course curriculum that would inform and sensitize students to social issues relating to science in a setting that emphasizes oral and visual communication. This would help students to develop critical thinking skills, practice communication skills, and gain confidence in their ability to think through public…