Studies have indicated that pregnancy is only one of the factors that cause female students to drop out of school. A study was conducted at a Chicago (Illinois) public high school to determine if there was a significant difference in the dropout rate for teens who were pregnant and those who were not. The population for the study included female…

This report summarizes the current status and trends in nonmarital childbearing in the United States, and presents a series of supplemental papers by experts from social science disciplines. "Nonmarital Childbearing in the United States" (Kristin A. Moore) introduces the topic, indicating that nearly a third of all births in the country…

It is estimated that by the year 2010, 50 percent of the population of southeast Asia will be under 15 years of age. Based on a research project completed in 1993, this book provides a regional overview of the quality of life for these children, and is targeted not only at those with an academic and professional interest in child care and social…

Minority voices in Western psychology have been encouraging clinical and counseling psychologists for years to make their psychological interventions more relevant to minority group issues by attending to clients' social contexts. The National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology recently has responded by means such as…

This report documents the development and progress of Marin City Families First (MCFF), a project undertaken in Marin City (California) in 1993 by the Far West Laboratory's (FWL) Center for Child and Family Studies. Its goal was to develop a model comprehensive child and family support system for low-income communities. In pursuing its objective…

This book presents speeches and essays by Jane Addams, from the period between 1893 and 1930, that present a view of education as a broad process of cultural transformation and renewal, as the foundation of democracy. Among the topics presented are: (1) an exploration of some of the problems women faced upon graduating from college and returning…

"The Bell Curve" by Richard Herrnstein and Charles E. Murray has created a great deal of controversy because of its assertion that the key to explaining inequality and social problems in the United States is stratification by a unitary entity called intelligence, or cognitive ability, as measured by the intelligence quotient (IQ). Their…

The 12 chapters of this volume offer a comprehensive portrait of today's children and their challenging urban environments. The opportunities and obstacles that confront children are examined in detail, and key social problems are discussed in the following contributions: (1) "Growing Up in the Urban Environment: Opportunities and Obstacles for…

Texas is in the middle of criminal justice reform and a large prison construction program, but it has become apparent that no amount of reform will make a long-term difference unless the flood of young people entering the system can be stopped. Children in Texas are in trouble, and the future demands that priorities be reexamined to address…

This paper examines the rapid changes in technology that enables cloning of human embryos and explores the issues related to teaching students about the use of such technologies. STS adoption has made only minimal impact on mainline social studies curriculum, although the topic has been included in discussion for decades. The paper outlines five…

For much of its history, America has been waging war against many of its poor people. Chapters 1 through 4 of this book discuss the labeling of the poor as morally inferior, which has increased in the last 15 years, blames them falsely for the ills of the American society and economy, reinforces their mistreatment, increases their misery, and…

Adolescent pregnancy (AP) is explored from historical and policy perspectives. The "epidemic" of AP, with 4 out of every 10 teenage girls becoming pregnant, is typically portrayed as a recent and unprecedented problem that requires massive federal intervention, but the problem is not new. Chapter 1 analyzes adolescent sexuality, AP, and…

Interviews with 209 African Americans in a number of United States cities are the basis for a discussion of the black middle-class experience. Although middle-class African Americans appear to have secured the promises of the American dream, conversations make it apparent that they have experienced discrimination and hatred from Whites. The…

The story of the Stop the Violence movement among rap music artists and music industry colleagues is told, along with the story of a video that was produced as part of this initiative. The Stop the Violence project grew out of the reaction to violence among concert goers at a 1987 rap concert on Long Island (New York). Rap musicians have joined…

When a child has lost his or her permanent housing and experiences the stress of a family crisis, the additional loss of a familiar school and its context may well be devastating. A basic educational need of children is continuity and stability in schooling. Yet most children (142 Chicago, Illinois families in shelters) interviewed in this…