What happened in the small farm community of Elk Point, South Dakota, on January 8, 1986, was unimaginable--a father shot his family and then walked to work and shot himself. Upon learning of the murder/suicide, the Elk Point School District faced the difficult questions of what teachers should say to students, how the district should deal with…

This book examines the stereotypes and superficial categorizations of America's children in crisis, and discusses the nature of childhood disadvantage. Findings from interviews with children and professionals, and a reexamination of past and present research, reveal that most children at risk are not poor. The evidence suggests that factors such…