This document consists of two publications: a participants' booklet designed to promote discussion among small groups, and a Leader's Guide. The participants' booklet contains information on four important issues in the 1992 election year: health care, the economy, welfare reform, and foreign policy. "The Health Care Crisis in America" contains…

This paper examines the moral reasoning of preservice and inservice teachers; reviews and summarizes empirical studies that have examined teachers' levels of principled reasoning; relates that information to the construction of democratic classrooms, which are a critique of both authoritarian and status quo democratic systems; and presents…

The hidden curriculum of most classrooms actively discourages students from learning both the autonomy and the social virtues that are at the foundation of good citizenship. This book provides ideas on how teachers can foster civic education by expanding opportunities in the classroom for students to collaborate with other students. The teaching…

Directed to secondary school teachers of history, government, and civics, this book is designed to fit common educational objectives in secondary school curriculum guides that call for teaching and learning about the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. The volume is intended to encourage careful reading, analysis, and classroom…

Six articles discuss various aspects of the English Only Movement while affirming the inalienable right of language minority individuals to equal educational opportunity and due process under the law and the right to maintain cultural and linguistic ties to their native heritages. Congressman Don Edwards considers bilingual ballots, explaining…

An examination of policy studies in the twentieth century shows that there has been a movement away from an earlier concern for a policy science of democracy. Traditionally, political scientists in the United States have wanted to do good, and for most of them, doing good has meant studying regimes and the state in order to promote liberal…

This paper presents a historical overview of the gradual shift in the moral and philosophical foundations of American society as reflected in the content of textbooks. Working from the premise that textbooks mirror changing social values, the paper cites various studies that trace the trend, over the past 200 years, away from an emphasis on…

An assessment of a four-stage conceptual model reveals that critical thinking has indirect positive effects on political participation through its direct effects on personal control, political efficacy, and democratic attitudes. The model establishes causal relationships among selected personality variables (self-esteem, personal control, and…

The role of the academic community in providing introspection and thoughtful analysis at times of national chaos is addressed. While during the 1960s many campuses debated issues and examined national priorities, little credit has been given to academic leadership for fostering a thoughtful approach to difficult questions relating to national…

The National Education Association (NEA) was significantly influenced by Margaret Haley's early 20th century probe into its power structure. As a reformer committed to the democratic process, Miss Haley became an active member of the NEA in 1900. At this time, the organization was dominated by a group of male educators (college presidents,…

Urban managers and legislators are faced with the task of ensuring that policy decisions really represent citizens' needs. One method of communicating with the public by government was the creation of the Community Representatives Office (CRO) by the city of Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1973. This position is similar to the office of the…

The document examines the past and present functions of educational history. By focussing on the contradictions between the organization of public education and the values upon which it is supposed to rest, critical history can be the most dynamic source of educational change. In the past, history as conceived in history departments differed…

Three sets of lesson plans for junior and senior grade levels are presented to develop skills in (1) functioning in the social structure, (2) developing a democratic conscience, and (3) formulating personal values of work ethics. The lesson plans are designed to be taught in logical order for developing the hobby clubs concept throughout the…

This paper looks at how rhetoric was used as an instrument in the Progressive Education Movement. According to the author, this movement stretched from the early 1920s to the early 1950s. As part of it, educators placed increased emphasis on child development, the student's freedom to develop naturally, student motivation, and the school/community…

Trends within the educational system of Sweden which increase the existence and/or potential of democratization are examined in this monograph. The process of democratization is interpreted as referring to educational objectives such as equal opportunity, as well as to structural changes within the system which increase the likelihood that stated…