Economic inequality is tearing our civil society apart. Addressing this problem through school governance reforms (vouchers, privatization, and charter schools), or curriculum changes (teaching new basic skills), or a new instructional focus (Rifkin's civil sector) ignores the real challenge: redistributing wealth and softening inequalities.…

Contends that urban violence involves not only acts against individuals but also systemic violence perpetrated against the ethnic-minority poor. Argues that this systemic violence is a form of human rights violation. Maintains that moral educators should utilize a human rights perspective in curriculum planning. (CFR)

Research conducted in the 1980s on differences in race/ethnicity, gender, and social class in the kindergarten through grade 12 and in the educational uses of computers is summarized in terms of access, processes, and outcomes, focusing on equity. Conclusions include the implication that computer use has maintained and even exaggerated existing…

Discusses causes of the street children phenomenon in the Philippines, emphasizing how uneven development and unequal social order affect socioeconomic, political, and cultural spheres. Examines contributors to poverty--government allocation of funds for debt repayment and military and widespread graft. Notes that street children are often…

Are magnet schools in a position to meet diversity ideals? As districts are declared unitary and released from court ordered desegregation, many are framing their commitments to fairness and equity in terms of diversity--i.e., comparable rates of participation and comparable educational outcomes in all segments the student population. In this…

The broad array of data presented each year in the "KIDS COUNT Data Book" is intended to illuminate the status of America's children and to assess trends in their well-being. By updating the assessment every year, KIDS COUNT provides ongoing benchmarks that can be used to see how states have advanced or regressed over time. Readers can…

This book contains 13 papers resulting from roundtable discussions at the 1993 Society for Research in Child Development Meeting. The overall intent of the papers is to plan the course for child health care, public policy, and developmental research into the next century. The book is divided into three parts, each covering one topic. Research…

In its introduction, the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) 1995 report on the state of America's children highlights the opposing pulls toward community or chaos in the treatment of children in contemporary American society. The introduction lists 17 things adults and parents can do to conduct a personal audit to determine whether they are…

This study examined the factors influencing the academic success of 50 Mexican-Americans from low-income families who received Ph.D., J.D., or M.D. degrees from prestigious universities. All of the subjects received their college and graduate education during the 1960s and 1970s, and were interviewed using a 141-question interview protocol. The…

Noting the increasing challenges faced by families today, this book explores demographic, social and economic, and technological issues affecting the dynamics of and planning process for family well-being. Chapters in the book are: (1) "Expanding Choice in Long Term Planning for Family Futures" (Barbara H. Settles); (2) "Recent Demographic Change:…

This newsletter focuses on efforts to make math and science more attractive, relevant, and accessible to students, especially limited-English-proficient, minority, economically disadvantaged, female, and at-risk students. "TAAS Math Performance" (Linda Cantu) outlines recent statewide results for the controversial Texas Assessment of…

This issue of the newsletter "Transition" focuses on young families and the problems they face. The newsletter contains book reviews, descriptions of upcoming events, and articles covering various aspects of young families. Articles are: (1) "Taking the Plunge" (Deidre Yukich), focusing on one woman's family planning decisions;…

This report analyzes 30-year trends in population, jobs, income, poverty, and education in the South, including comparisons to national trends and projections for the year 2010. The report aims to document the South's success in overcoming poverty and discrimination, draw attention to barriers that block further economic progress, and make…

This report examines reasons for and offers recommendations to end the consistently found deficit in children's well-being in the southern states of Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, and West Virginia--a deficit which places both the children and the future…

This Kids Count report examines statewide trends in the well-being of Idaho's children. The statistical portrait is based on 15 indicators of child and family well-being: (1) poverty; (2) single parent families; (3) infant mortality; (4) low birth weight babies; (5) percent of all mothers not receiving adequate prenatal care; (6) mothers ages…