Americans have concluded that the achievement gap is the fault of "failing schools" because it makes no common sense that it could be otherwise. After all, how much money a family has, or a child's skin color, should not influence how well that child learns to read. If teachers know how to teach and if schools permit no distractions,…

Presents a reaction to a survey of historians by four history doctoral students. Asserts that the four were bewildered and angered by the contradictions between the survey results and their own experiences as graduate students. Concludes that graduate students must take an active role in reform of the history profession. (CFR)

This case study describes an experienced high school teacher's difficulties in an Alaskan town with severe tensions between Caucasian and Eskimo students and between community members and teachers. This "teaching case" helps preservice teachers understand the complex, ambiguous situations which arise in rural teaching. The limitations of…