Reviews the history and development of distance education in Africa. Highlights include the expansion in formal education; language diversity and competing interests; the role of intergovernmental agencies; infrastructure deficiencies; political considerations; social considerations; and possible solutions to problems. (Author/LRW)

Examines library education in Bangladesh. Discusses curriculum at all levels, continuing education, and professional opportunities. Notes that political turmoil has caused the shutdown of numerous public universities, creating significant impediments to training. (PEN)

Describes changes made in 1994 to California's Ralph M. Brown Act, an open meeting law originally passed in 1953 and applying to local governments and colleges. Summarizes changes related to definitions, meeting locations, and agencies covered by the law. Addresses issues related to access to campus crime data. (AJL)

Analyzes five presidential campaign films. Reveals the utilization of the "feminine" style in these films and suggests that social constructions of masculinity work hegemonically in two ways: candidates are associated with traditionally patriarchal institutions; the films offer a portrayal of women that marginalizes their status in the…

Examines President Clinton's address to 5,000 African Americans at the site of Martin Luther King's last speech in Memphis. Develops a critical orientation revolving around the concepts of tradition, invention, and authority to explore Clinton's performance. Shows how he interanimated the black church and liberal traditions in American politics.…

Argues that Black political action is the only solution to freeing African Americans from the poverty of the ghettos. Proposes that the two fundamental tasks facing the Black community are the restoration of the self-esteem of Black children and the elimination of the American myth of national equality. (FMW)

Discusses the economic implications of the recommendations of "Health Care for the Homeless," the controversial supplementary statement to the Institute of Medicine's report, "Homelessness, Health and Human Needs." Concludes that the original report presents a more politically realistic approach to the problems of the homeless…

Open enrollment in the public schools is a salient aspect of Minnesota education reform. The historical framework of the issue is discussed in the context of the state's politics which involve confrontation, collaboration, and implementation guided by state gubernatorial leadership. Emerging problems are indicated and reform tactics are examined.…

Students resist intellectual work and show an impatience to finish school and begin a career. This is a result of curriculum disputes over vocational policy. A participatory and dialogic method for job training courses, derived from Paulo Freire's ideas, offers an alternative to the current methods of technical instruction. (Author/VM)

Reports the results of "Library Journal's" 1995 national budget survey of 1,624 small, medium, and large public libraries which asked how funding changed over the last fiscal year. Per capita spending, materials budget, salaries, political issues, and staffing are discussed, and tables show survey results. (LRW)

Discusses the relationship between language and politics in pluralistic Canadian society and highlights the role that language teachers have to play in showing that tolerance and understanding and negotiation will help create unity and agreement among groups. (14 references) (Author/CK)

Provides a descriptive analysis of the recent history of family policy and argues that the United States, within its cultural context, inhibits the development of a national family policy. The final section provides an analysis of the visionary changes needed to develop a national family policy. (GR)

Examines 12 black newspapers' coverage of the "Civil Rights Cases" in 1883 and "Plessy v. Ferguson" in 1896, to determine if these newspapers reflect a shift from optimism in 1883 to discouragement by 1896 over the state of race relations. Tries to determine whether these newspapers counseled their black readers to have…

Offers brief descriptions of 13 professional resources to help educators assess children's literature that addresses sensitive social, moral, and political issues. (SR)

Notes four strategies that will almost certainly result in losing a school bond election, then discusses four strategies that increase the probability of passage. (SR)