This book challenges common assumptions about the nature of education and the need for formal schooling and provides an overview of promising alternatives to compulsory education. Following a foreword by Ivan Illich, four sections cover the philosophical roots of opposition to compulsory public education, current analyses of the public school…

This book offers Paulo Freire's retrospection on his life and work. These reflections, conceived in the form of 18 letters to his niece, Cristina, provide a backdrop for a deeper understanding of the experiences--including his exile---that have informed his thinking and teaching. The first 10 letters look back on Freire's childhood and youth. The…

The activities in this manual explore some of the issues of the 1960s and 1970s that reflected changes in U.S. patterns of thought: minorities sought their share of the American pie; young people challenged established authority; massive protests erupted against the Vietnam War; political corruption was found in high office and a marked change…

This interdisciplinary unit includes seven lessons that can be adapted to fit individual classrooms and curricular needs. The focus of the lessons is on human rights and human rights abuses. The lessons include: (1) "Who Are the Victims?"; (2) "Coping"; (3) "Torturers"; (4) "A Case for Torture?"; (5) "The Map of Torture"; (6) "The Words To Say…

This brief paper summarizes a full length report of the same title which examines the ongoing debate on the conflicting rights and responsibilities of students and college administrations in the areas of offensive speech, rights of assembly, drug testing and campus safety. On offensive speech and the rights of colleges and universities to regulate…

This proceedings report presents the speeches and panel discussions given at an annual meeting held at the University of North Carolina; Asheville, that focused on improving general education at American colleges in two broad areas: history and culture, and mathematics and science. The report begins with lists of speakers, consultants, and…

This paper presents findings from a longitudinal study that examined the extent and types of challenges to curriculum in California school districts. A survey of school districts conducted in 1990 yielded 421 usable responses. The second survey, sent in 1991, elicited 379 responses, a 37.5 percent response rate. Findings indicate that the number…

A study of institutional responses to incidents of intolerance on college and university campuses was conducted. A questionnaire was sent to the deans of student affairs and student newspaper editors at 128 four-year colleges and universities; and interviews were conducted with administrators, students, faculty, and staff from 58 institutions, 11…

The purpose of this study was to determine if a gap exists between the perceived expectation that Georgia elementary media specialists support intellectual freedom and their practice of materials selection. Randomly chosen media specialists were sent a questionnaire, results of which were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The majority of the…

A study identified and evaluated the approach of small colleges in dealing with hate speech and/or verbal harassment incidents. A questionnaire was sent to the Dean of Students at 200 randomly-selected small (500-2000 students), private, liberal arts colleges and universities. Responses were received from 132 institutions, for a response rate of…

This paper reviews the background and key terminology of the Internet, its current scope and use, and a selection of public policy issues. "Chapter 1: What Is the Internet?" includes an overview; capsule history; explanation of how the Internet works; basic terminology; and the kinds of information available on the Internet.…

This article begins with an introduction to recent developments in information technology, including investment activities related to the technology in Europe, Japan, and the United States. It then deals with the challenging issues of access to electronic information of the U.S. government, fee or free for electronic information in publicly…

Section B of the Media and Law section of the proceedings contains the following nine papers: "The Professional Person as Libel Plaintiff: Reexamination of the Public Figure Doctrine" (Harry W. Stonecipher and Don Sneed); "The Anti-Federalists and Taxation under the Free Press Clause of the First Amendment" (Brad Thompson);…

This special theme issue of "Educational Foundations" contains five articles on the theme of "The Politics of Education." In Marie E. Wirsing's "Academic Freedom and Teaching Foundations of Education: A Personal Memoir," the history of academic freedom, including the constant struggles to preserve it and examples of significant infringement, are…

This paper states that college radio invokes two ends of a language spectrum -- the clean language authorized for on-air use and the dirty language prohibited from such use, and that the interaction between the two produces "expositional obscenity," a catalytic form of discourse that invites the audience to render a judgment about…