The "Official English" (OE), or "English Only," movement claims that the United States is threatened by the use of languages other than English in schools, government, and business. The OE movement is contrary to a national tradition of recognition and respect for the contributions of immigrants to American life. Restrictions…

Student apathy, alcohol abuse, racial and ethnic divisions, and acts of incivility are weakening the integrity of many higher education institutions and limiting their ability to function as vital communities of learning. A set of agreed-upon standards of campus governance is needed to guide the conduct of all members of the community and give…

New York City's middle school Attendance Improvement and Dropout Prevention (AIDP) program for the 1985-86 school year is evaluated at 10 schools whose programs most closely adhered to the guidelines developed by the Chancellor. The report includes an introduction with background information on the program and evaluation; a literature review…

This study sought to determine if parents of gifted and talented learning-disabled children differed from parents of other gifted/talented children in their expectations of educational programming and parent-school relations. Subjects included 265 parents who were members of The Gifted and Talented Association of Montgomery County (Maryland) or…

A study of relations between perceived closeness and the level of biological maturation of male and female seventh-grade students sought additional support for empirical differentiation between closeness and acceptance. The study also investigated the relation of perceived closeness to parents' reports of satisfaction with parenting, children's…

This case study concerns the forming of a Marietta, Ohio unity committee, entitled Citizens for Social and Racial Justice, in response to the local Ku Klux Klan's (KKK) request for a parade permit in order to demonstrate against blacks in this city. Marietta, the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, has a population composed of both white and…

The decisions President Richard Nixon and his closest advisors made in the Watergate coverup were products of what Irving Janis calls "groupthink." Groupthink, a type of decision-making emphasizing unanimity over objective evaluation, develops when the decision makers (1) form a group of marked cohesiveness, (2) insulate themselves from…

There are many forces of environmental and economic decline that endanger our communities and planet. These have caused a global threat which is very complex. The pressure to feed increasing numbers of people helps cause high rates of topsoil loss which results in decreased agricultural productivity. As poorer nations attempt to fight these…

This guidebook is one in the Target Topic Series developed to highlight issues and concerns related to effective community education operation. It is intended for the community education advisory council member who wants to improve the effectiveness of the council. The material is designed to improve the atmosphere of the council to allow the…

This report discusses variations in background of Greek-Australian high school students in Sydney, Australia, and examines and describes the pattern of individual responses to the social context. Literature on the ethnic background of Greeks in Australia is briefly reviewed, and previous findings are presented to articulate some of the issues…

Group cohesiveness in psychotherapy is defined as the dynamic process that incorporates the multifactors that establish and maintain members in the therapy group. The development of group cohesiveness and the role of the therapist can be divided into five stages. In the first pregroup stage, the therapist must select clients and prepare them for…

The effectiveness of boards of education depends on many factors. Significant among these are maintenance of the board's group identity, proper conduct of meetings, development of community respect through dignified and courteous behavior, establishment of good listening habits by board members, united follow-through on majority decisions, and…

In order for Asians to progress in American society, they must commit themselves to total participation in the mainstream of the culture while preserving their own special cultural identity. Asian unity in strategies for civil and cultural advancement at the local level must not become clouded by excessive involvement in international politics.…

Based on a set of propositions for maintaining individual group culture, this study examined the outlook of adult Jewish education practitioners. A limited survey of adult Jewish education revealed certain needs and problems, and a national conference was convened to discuss the findings. Tape-recorded statements by speakers and workshop…

Consensus is important in the making of a policy decision. If a decision is reached without consensus, morale and unit satisfaction may both suffer. With genuine consensus, a unit tends to willingly support and implement the new policy. After analyzing how observed small groups had actually reached consensus, the following ten techniques were…