Many have regarded the recent civil disturbances in Los Angeles (California) as a wake-up call, a warning that the deterioration of America's cities, education systems, and public services, and the continuing decline of the underclass may result in a race war that could destroy society. The wake-up call is directed primarily at middle-class black…

Implementation of the first U.S. television program rating system based on identifying content that could be viewed by specific age groups began in January, 1997. This exploratory survey examined the context of how young people responded to the ratings system. Participating in the May 1997 survey were 462 students in fourth, eighth, and tenth…

Since elementary school counselors frequently provide or interpret achievement test scores for academic placement decisions, they must be vigilant for invalid data. Standardized norm-referenced achievement tests can underestimate achievement or potential of low-income black children because of different learning styles and test bias. Recent…

Insights into the social and cultural experiences of Hispanic people can be gleaned from both the social sciences and literature, and it is probably accurate to state that values are the most important shared dimension of a culture. There are not many value differentiations that separate the Hispanic from the Anglo. In examining the first national…

Arguing that consultative and authoritative frameworks for rural development programs allow those in a superior position to define development priorities and to determine when and to what extent those in subordinate positions can participate, this paper outlines the need for participative-group management of such projects. The paper notes that…

This paper looks at the relationship between parents' social networks and aspects of child development. It has often been suggested that parents' links with kin, neighbors, friends, and local and non-local organizations are likely to have many effects on their children's development. These effects, however, have never been systematically…

Asian American students who encounter personal problems may hesitate to utilize counseling and mental health facilities on campuses, being fearful that family, friends and/or relatives may consider them emotionally unstable. Counselors and mental health workers may lack understanding of language and cultural background of Asian-American students,…

Housing and social conditions in urban America suggest a major shift of the inner city poor to the older suburban neighborhoods. This paper explores that anticipated massive population exchange and suggests ways to measure its effect on the schooling process. The concern here is that thousands of poor city dwellers will relocate to the suburbs and…

This conference focuses upon various aspects of testing within a society, and upon technical advances in measurement. Philip H. DuBois's paper deals with China, a society dominated by tests, from 1115 BC--1905 AD. Donald W. Fiske discusses the effect of testing on the individual in modern America in his paper, "The Subject Looks at…

The major issue in urban education is class conflict. The polarity of the "haves" and "have-nots" limits the schools' services to the latter group because of the generally moderate stance of most liberal school board members and their insufficient zeal in pressing the grievances of the have-nots. Bureaucratic resistance and the…

The major focus of this study is upon the operation of the occupational experience of father, wife, and the friendship network of the father in forming childrearing values of Negro and white fathers of lower, working and middle status. Beyond this, the relationships between childrearing values and paternal participation in the son's development…

This booklet points out some of the characteristics of the varieties of English spoken in Riverside and in the rest of California. The first chapter provides a general discussion of language variation and change on the levels of vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. The second chapter discusses California English and pronunciation and vocabulary…

First through twelfth graders' beliefs concerning the social distances between people differing by race, sex, or race and sex were assessed. Sexual social distances are larger for boys than for girls, increase during pre-adolescence, and decrease during adolescence. Racial social distances are larger for blacks than for whites, and increase with…

Relates several social, cultural, and aspirational factors to achievement measured by grade point average among 38 Sioux and 48 White college students. Finds high school GPA and parental encouragement most important for White students, cultural identity and retention of native cultural traditions most important for Sioux students. (LFL)

Early childhood professionals are often required to work with children and families from a range of diverse backgrounds. This book goes beyond simplistic definitions of diversity, encouraging a much broader understanding and helping early childhood educators develop a critical disposition towards assumptions about children and childhood in…