DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 419 659 RC 021 535

TITLE Equity. IDRA Focus.INSTITUTION Intercultural Development Research Association, San Antonio,

TX.

ISSN ISSN-1069-5672PUB DATE 1998-05-00NOTE 17p.

PUB TYPE Collected Works - Serials (022)JOURNAL CIT IDRA Newsletter; v25 n5 May 1998EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS *Childrens Literature; Civil Rights; Dropouts; *Educational

Discrimination; *Educational Equity (Finance); EducationalVouchers; Elementary Secondary Education; *Equal Education;Females; Nondiscriminatory Education; Sex Fairness; SexRole; *Violence; Women Administrators; Women Faculty; WomensEducation

IDENTIFIERS Texas

ABSTRACTThis theme issue focuses on equity in children's literature,

public funding for private schools, women in educational fields, femaledropouts, and the relationship between school violence and family andcommunity violence. "Violence in Our Schools" (Bradley Scott) exploresreasons for school violence (media violence, isolation from family, racialand ethnic discrimination) and offers four suggestions for violenceprevention and 15 suggestions to address racial hostility. "Hijas del QuintoSol: Redefining Feminine Roles through Children's Literature" (Juanita C.Garcia) notes the importance of gender-sensitive children's literature inmodeling sex role attitudes. A sidebar lists 20 titles for grades K-12. "FullPockets, Empty Promises" (Albert Cortez) discusses issues ofconstitutionality, equitable student access, and accountability in using thevoucher system to support private schools with public funds. "Women inEducation Fields" (Yojani Fatima Hernandez) reports on women in variouslevels of education in Texas. "Reflections on Equity" (Norma V. Cantu)discusses discrimination and federal laws related to educationalopportunities for females, students with disabilities, and minorities, aswell as barriers to participation in vocational rehabilitation programs,gifted and talented programs, and accelerated courses. "Why Do Girls DropOut?" (Anita Tijerina Revilla) discusses sexist views and stereotypespersisting in the classroom that lead to girls dropping out. A sidebar listsrisk factors for girls, which girls drop out, school structure and dropouts,and academic and economic consequences of female dropouts. "Changing Faces,Changing Places: Challenges as We Enter a New Century" notes the resistanceof schools to change due to lack of accountability and reiterates IDRA'scommitment to work for needed changes. (SAS)

********************************************************************************

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.

********************************************************************************

D E 174 ',/,eiyica,t6ty 25 L.V1973-199810.

CG

1 1 IDRA Newsletter

.*P do

9Reif ASS°

Inside this Issue:

4 Gender sensitive children's literature

Use of public funds for private schools

Women in education fields

<> Why girls drop out

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and Improvement

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION I

CENTER (ERIC)

/This document has been reproduced asreceived from the person or organizationortginating d.

Minor changes have been made to improvereproduction quality.

Points of view or opinions stated in this docu-ment do not necessarily represent officialOERI position or policy.

1

.M,

te)

N.C

LC)

ir-

1/4)

PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE ANDDISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS

BEEN GRANTED BY

E.GarZaTO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)

IDRA Focus:EQUITY

ISSN /069 -5672 Volume XXV, No. 5 May 1998

VIOLENCE IN OUR SCHOOLS

The nation has been dismayed by therecent rash of violence on school campuses.Media coverage has made each incidentseem close to home. We are confused aboutwhat is actually happening, why it ishappening particularly as it is exhibited byour children and youth and what we can doabout it.

Three years ago in the IDRANewsletter, I described the fourth generationof desegregation and civil rights. Amongother things, it concerns the need to "createschool and community collaborations onsocial issues affecting school operationsand outcomes including issues such asviolence, drugs, changes in families,employment, poverty and empowerment"(1995). My concern has not lessened sincethen. In many respects, it has increased.

While there are reports that violentcrimes among youth have been decreasingsince 1995, there are other reports that violentcrimes motivated by race are not onlyincreasing, but are becoming more broadlydistributed. Let me explain.

Violence Decreases WhileHate Crimes Increase

The National Center for HealthStatistics reported that gun deaths in 1995of children had decreased by 10 percent(5,820 to 5,277) from the previous year. Italso reported a lower number of youthhomicide incidents overall in 1995 than in1994 (Martinez, 1998).

Similarly, the Office of JuvenileJustice and Delinquency Prevention reportedthat in 1996, violent crimes such as rape,murder, aggravated assault and robbery fell12 percent during the previous two years.

2

Juvenile homicide arrests fell 31 percentsince 1993 (Martinez, 1998). The only areawith an increase in crime was crime againstolder teenagers (16 to 19 years of age).

Evidently, the public campaigns toaddress crime and violence, the push to re-create safe communities and schools, thereaffirmed support for prevention strategies,and the increased funding for toughercommunity and policing activities aremaking a difference. We should beencouraged that when we put our minds andwill to it, we can make a difference.

Yet as we breath a sigh of relief, wefind that during the same period noted above,the Intelligence Project of the SouthernPoverty Law Center reported that the numberof active hate groups motivated by race,religion and ethnicity has risen by 20 percentto a total of 474. These groups continue togrow in number and membership. They arefound in almost every state in the nation.There are at least 163 web sites representing81 hate groups that spew their venomoushate demagoguery through the Internet(Intelligence Project, 1997).

The Intelligence Project also reportshundreds of acts of violence motivated byhate that happen in communities and schoolsthroughout the 50 states. We are improvingin some aspects of violent crimes, while inother areas, it seems as if we have hardlyscratched the surface.

Reasons for the TrendsWhy is this happening after so many

years of working to make things better?There are many suggestions to explain thetrends.

Violence in Our Schools - continued on page 10

IN THIS ISSUE

e.

13

FULL POCKETS,

EMPTY PROMISES

WOMEN IN

EDUCATION FIELDS

REFLECTIONS & COMMENTARY

NEWSLETTER EDITORIAL PAGE

WHY Do GIRLS

DROP OUT?

The Intercultural Development Re-search Association (IDRA) is anon -profitorganization with a 50I (c)(3) tax exemptstatus. The purpose of the organization isto disseminate information concerningequality of educational opportunity. TheIDRA Newsletter(ISSN 1069-5672, copy-right ©1998) serves as a vehicle for com-munication with educators, school boardmembers, decision-makers, parents, andthe general public concerning the educa-tional needs of all children in Texas andacross the United States.

Publication offices:5835 Callaghan Road, Suite 350San Antonio, Texas 78228-1190210/684 -8180: Fax 210/684-5389

1DRA World Wide Web site:http://www.idra.org

IDRA E-mail Address:idra @idra.org

Maria Robledo Montecel, Ph.D.IDRA Executive Director

Newsletter Executive Editor

Christie L. Goodman, APRIDRA Communications Manager

Newsletter Production Editor

Sarah H. AlemanIDRA Data Entry Clerk

Newsletter Typesetter

Permission to reproduce material con-tained herein is granted provided the ar-ticle or item is reprinted in its entirety andproper credit is given to IDRA and theauthor. Please send a copy of the materialin its reprinted form to the IDRA Newslet-ter production offices. Editorial submis-sions, news releases, subscription re-quests, and change-of-address data shouldbe submitted in writing to the NewsletterProduction Editor. The IDRA Newsletterstaff welcomes your comments on edito-rial material.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF GENDER SENSITIVE CHILDREN'S

LITERATURE

Kindergarten to second gradeWaddell, Martin. Fanner Duck (Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 1991).

First to fifth gradeBrowne, Anthony. Piggy Book (New York: Dragonfly Books, 1986).Browne, Anthony. El Libro de los Cerdos (Mexico: Fondo de Cultura

Economica, 1991).

Second to fourth gradeCole, Babette. La princesa listilla (Espana: Ediciones Destino, 1986).Cole, Babette. Princess Smarty Pants (London: Harper Collins, 1986).

Second to fifth gradeLachtman, Ofelia D. Pepita Talks Twice. Pepita Habla Dos Veces

(Houston: Piñata Books, 1995).Munsch, Robert N. La princesa vestida con una bolsa de papel (Canada:

Annick Press, 1993).Munsch, Robert N. The Paper Bag Princess (Canada: Annick Press,

1993).

Third to fifth gradeCaines, Jeanette. Just Us Women (New York: Harper Trophy, 1982).Williams, Vera B. Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe (New York:

Mulberry Books, 1981).

Third to sixth gradeDe Paola, Tome. Helga's Dowry (San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich,

1977).

Fourth to fifth gradeCole, Babette. El Principe Ceniciento (Espana: Ediciones Destino, 1987).

Fourth to eighth gradeAnzaldua, Gloria. Friends from the Other Side/Amigos del Otro Lado (San

Francisco: Children's Book Press, 1993).Baylor, Byrd. I'm in Charge of Celebrations (New York: Scribner' s and

Sons, 1986).Beremzy, Alix. A Frog Prince (New York: Henry Mott and Company,

1989).Grifalconi, Ann. The Village of Round and Square Houses (New York:

Little Brown and Company, 1986).Johnston, Tony. The Cowboy and the Black-Eyed Pea (New York:

Putman' s Sons, 1992).Myers, Bernice. Sidney Nella and the Glass Sneaker (New York:

MacMillan, 1985).

Seventh to 12th gradePhelps, Ethel J. Tatterhood and Other Tales (New York: The Feminist

Press, 1978).Tashlik, Phyllis. Hispanic, Female and Young: An Anthology (Houston:

Piñata Books, 1994).

3Compiled by Dr. Laura Chris Green at IDRA

May 1998 ti IDRA Newsletter

HIJAS DEL QUINTO SOL:

REDEFINING FEMININE ROLES THROUGH CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

IIThe Aztec legend of the quinto mundo,

or fifth world, tells us we must balance allsides of our nature, including the masculineand feminine forces inside us all.

Gender sensitive children's literatureoffers exciting, positive role models forboys and girls today. Thus, many educatorsare expanding their knowledge baseregarding gender issues and their influenceon literacy education.

The Aztecs believed there were fourhistorical ages called worlds or suns. Eachwas ruled and then destroyed by a god.Three new life forms resulted. The fifthworld is ruled by all four gods, so it is morestable but also prone to doom unless webring all of the forces into balance andbanish evil from our hearts. According tolegends of the Aztec elders, this presentepoch, or the fifth world, is known as the sunof movement that brings constant change.We must learn to balance the four forces ofnature air, earth, fire and water in theirdestructive and constructive forms to reachour full potential as spiritual and physicalbeings (Green and Garcia, 1995).

In her book, Massacre of the Dreamer,Ana Castillo writes that around 5,000 yearsago humanity began moving toward thedeliberate omission of the feminine principle.We all have masculine and feminine withinus, but the masculine has been allowed toreign. In the 1970s, the United States beganto realize the effects of sex role stereotypingin U.S. society, including in education(Cassidy, et al., 1994).

However in general, reading educatorshave not addressed the issue of sex rolestereotyping and gender bias. Out of 665reading. education articles published between1988 and 1993, only five dealt with genderissues and their relationship to literacyeducation (Cassidy, et al., 1994). Genderroles in our society have usually been definedby stereotypical views of female and maleroles learned in childhood. Changing roleshave received little attention in children'sliterature until the last decade, but todaymany exciting books portray interesting,strong characters who are both female andmale.

Children are aware of role differencesat a young age. They know there aredifferences in gender, language, color and

OUT OF 665 READING EDUCATION

ARTICLES PUBLISHED

BETWEEN 1988 AND 1993,

ONLY FIVE DEALT WITH GENDER

ISSUES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP

TO LITERACY EDUCATION.

physical ability. They have learned this byobserving the differences and by taking inthe verbal and non-verbal messages aboutthe differences. These negative stereotypesshort-change children's development.Children will be unprepared to interacteffectively with many people in the world.Gender sensitive children's literature seeksto nurture the development of every child'sfullest potential by addressing issues ofequity and diversity in a pleasant andinstructive way.

One of my favorite gender sensitivebooks for young children is The Piggy Book(El libro de los cerdos) by Anthony Browne.In a family with two sons, the mother doesall of the housework and works outside thehome, too. After years of silent servitude,she leaves her husband and children to fendfor themselves. They transform into pigsand the house becomes a pigsty. When shedecides to come back, they all share with thehousework and she enjoys fixing the car.

Before reading to the children, I findout what preconceived ideas and opinionsstudents have about gender roles by readinga series of carefully worded statements thatfocus attention on the concepts covered inthe book. Using statements that arecontroversial or address commonpreconceptions creates conceptual conflictand challenges commonly held beliefs.

This is a motivational technique to getstudents involved in the book. The threestatements I use for The Piggy Book are:1. It is mom's job to do all the housework;2. Girls cook better than boys; and3. Only boys can fix cars.Students have to agree or disagree with thestatements and then justify their position.The curiosity aroused about the topic canonly be resolved by reading the book tocorroborate students' prereading stance on

the issue.After reading, we revisit the

statements and respond to them again, thistime using additional information gleanedfrom the book. Many of the children changetheir positions after listening to the story,but some maintain their stereotypical rolesof boys and girls. Therefore it is importantto integrate other gender sensitive children'sliterature into the curriculum. Teachers canuse these wonderful books to help theirstudents overcome preconceived ideas.

Through the imagination, literatureshapes life and thought. Literature caneducate the heart as well as the mind andfoster compassion and humanism and banishevil from children's hearts. Gender sensitivechildren's literature can identify thecharacteristics of positive role models, andliterature extension activities can enrichstudents' expectations for themselves.

ResourcesCassidy, J., N. Smith, R. Winkeljohann, R. Ball and K.

Blouch. "The SIQ-R Test: Assessing Knowledgeof Gender Issues in Literacy Education," Journalof Reading (International Reading Association,October 1994), 38(2).

Castillo, A. Massacre of the Dreamer (New York, NY:Penguin Books, 1994).

Green, C. and J. Garcia. "Hijas del Quinto Sol:Redefining Feminine Roles through Children'sLiterature," National Association for BilingualEducation conference presentation (San Antonio,Texas: Intercultural Development ResearchAssociation, 1995).

Hohensee, J. and L. Derman-Sparks. "Implementingan Anti-Bias Curriculum in Early ChildhoodClassrooms," ERIC Digest (ED351I46 92).

Huck, C., S. Hepler and J. Hickman. Children'sLiterature in the Elementary School (New York,NY: Holt Rinehart and Winston Inc., 1987).

Juanita C. Garcia, M.A., is an IDRA educationassociate. Comments and questions may he sentto her via e-mail at idra@idra.org.

COMING UP!

In June-July, theIDRA Newsletterfocuses on gifted

and talented students.

May 1998 31! IDRA Newsletter

FULL POCKETS, EMPTY PROMISES

In a news conference in late April, aSan Antonio-based non-profit organizationannounced its new 10-year $50 millioninitiative to provide vouchers for students toattend private schools. The Children'sEducational Opportunity (CEO) Foundationinitiative exclusively targets students in thehistoric Edgewood Independent SchoolDistrict (ISD) the playing field of thestate's school finance reform battles. TheCEO Foundation plan promises that the14,000 students in the district will have theopportunity to apply for and possibly attendother public schools or private schools inthe San Antonio area.

Surprised educators, families,politicians and reporters are delving into thedetails of the plan (more on that below) asSan Antonio is thrust into the spotlight of thenational voucher debate. Only two schoolsystems in the country are experimentingwith publicly funded voucher programs, anda handful of cities have privately fundedprograms. Because of the size of the CEOFoundation's program (reportedly the largestproject ever to push school vouchers) andbecause of its strategic targeting ofEdgewood ISD students (the first time asingle school district has been targeted),San Antonio will be watched closely by thenation. What people see will have significantimplications on state and federal proposalsto use public money for private schooling.

Framing the DebateVoucher programs have become part

of the discussion of how public schools canbe improved. Proponents of public fundingfor private schooling have attempted to framecertain policy questions, such as whetherparents should have the option to receivestate subsidies for their decision to enrolltheir children in private schools. Proponentsalso suggest that public schools can beimproved by the introduction of competitionfor the public monies used to finance publicschools.

While it is understandable thatproponents of vouchers would want to framequestions in ways that benefit their agendas,it is IDRA' s view that the use of publicmonies for private schooling raises morefundamental questions about the future ofpublic education, religion and accountabilityin this country. The fundamental questionsare (1) whether or not it is legal to use public

monies to subsidize private and religiouseducation and (2) whether or not use ofpublic monies offers all studentsopportunities to equally access high qualityeducation in their communities.

Unconstitutional MeasuresMany lawyers who have studied the

legal aspects of this issue have longcontended that such actions violate theconstitutional provision of separation ofchurch and state. Regardless of how theissue is positioned (tax credits, school choice,vouchers for families or students, parentalchoice, etc.), the bottom-line questionremains the same: Is it constitutionallypermissible for public tax money to be usedto fund private or religious education?

Public accountability for theexpenditure of public monies is assuredthrough direct election of school boardmembers in local communities or throughappointment of board members by publiclyelected officials. Private and religiousschools do not have public elections fortheir governing boards. Such boards are notheld accountable by the community for theuse of tax dollars. The lack of such publiclyelected boards and accountability systems inprivate schools raises serious constitutionalquestions about the legality of subsidizing

such operations from public tax sources. Infact, the publicly funded voucher programsin Milwaukee and Cleveland have beensuccessfully challenged in the courts as aviolation of the separation of church andstate and are currently under appeal.

Inequitable MeasuresIf the formidable legal questions could

somehow be addressed, other fundamentalquestions still surround voucher plans. Thesequestions can be clustered into three keyareas: equitable student access, schoolimprovement and equal accountability.

Concerns about Equitable Student AccessProponents of publicly funded

vouchers propose that diverting public taxmonies from public schools will somehowgive students more options. They claim tofinally give students "choices" as if studentscurrently have no choice other than to attendtheir local public school.

However, reviews of state publicschool operations across the country clearlyshow that many students already havechoices. For example, communities that arestriving to better serve students who havespecialized interests are operating publiclyfunded magnet schools and local academies

Full Pockets - continued on page 5

CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOUNDATION

NEW VOUCHER PROGRAM IN EDGEWOOD ISD

14,00014,000

12,000

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

0Edgewood

ISD

If vouchersaverage

$2,000 each

2,500

192

If vouchersaverage

$4,000 each

1,250

96

5

First EachYear Subsequent

First EachYear Subsequent

Year YearPossible Student Participants

May 1998 IDRA Newsletter

Full Pockets - continued from page 4

that specialize in the arts, technology andsimilar high interest areas. Also, many statesnow allow public charter schools that havemore freedom to try new ideas. In addition tooffering public and independent charterschools, several states (including Texas) givefamilies the opportunity to transfer theirchildren out of low performing schools intonearby higher performing public schools and,in some states. into other districts.

Thus, many children already haveseveral options available to them. If theseoptions are not being utilized sufficiently, itmay be necessary to strengthen thecommunication and outreach efforts toensure that all students have equal access tosuch alternatives.

So the issue is not really aboutproviding options. It is about includingprivate and religious schools among thosewho receive public tax revenue. This in turnraises the question of whether or not allstudents have equal access to the alternatives.

People familiar with existing privateschool operations know that the vast majorityof private schools reserve the prerogative toenroll only those students the school choosesto accept. Many private schools use screeningtests to determine whether or not pupilsmeet school-determined criteria foracceptance. Others may choose to weighentrance criteria so that brothers and sistersof students already enrolled are givenpreference. As private enterprises, privateschools can reject students. Thus, schoolstaff rather than students or parents havethe ultimate "choice" of who gets to enroll inprivate schools.

Unless the mechanism used involvesa lottery approach (where all participatingprivate schools agree to accept all applyingstudents), the chances for schooldiscrimination increase dramatically. Whilestill subject to federal prohibitions againstdiscrimination based on race or religion,private schools can exclude students on thebasis of grades, test scores or "special needs."

Concerns about Improved SchoolsVoucher proponents often contend

that introducing competition for publicschool funds will somehow improve all localpublic schools. Before rushing to open thepublic tax coffers, the community at-largeshould take a step back and ask for evidencethat supports such contentions.

Private schools have competed forlocal community students for more than 100years. So the notion of public vs. private

IDRA PERSPECTIVES

ON PUBLIC FUNDING FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS

All students should have equitable access to excellent community-basedpublic schools.

All publicly funded schools should be required to accept and serve allstudents.

Improving public schools is best achieved by providing public school withadequate fiscal resources rather than by diverting limited resources.

Ensuring accountability for producing high levels of student achievement isbest achieved in a context where local school boards are accountable to thelocal community electorate.

Public support for public education is best achieved when local parentsare vested in (have a stake in) the local public school system.

In areas other than civil rights, government regulation of private schoolsshould be commensurate with the level of public funding received.

Parents should have the prerogative of enrolling their children in anyprivate school of their choosing provided they finance those choices fromnon-public funding sources.

Creation and maintenance of high quality publicly financed public schools iscritical to the creation and maintenance of the educated electorate neededto sustain our democratic society.

competition is certainly not new. Yet thereis a striking absence of data to substantiateclaims that local public schools benefit fromthe diversion of public money for privateoperations.

Emerging research in communitiesthat are experimenting with voucher planssuggests that local public schools are nothelped but, in many cases, are damaged. Forexample, a study of the impact of one voucherplan documents the loss of moreacademically successful and non-minoritypopulations from central city schools. Otherstudies have determined that performancelevels of local schools did not improve andin most cases actually declined as a result oflost resources. Most studies related to thecontention that local schools benefit fromthe loss of pupils and money to publiclyfinanced private schooling either reveal thatthe opposite is true or cannot draw aconclusion due to small samples, etc.

As voucher advocates continue todisregard the lack of supporting data andinsist that their proposals are beneficial tolocal public schools, it is reasonable forparents and other concerned citizens to wantto see proof. Student advocates should setaside -trust me" assurances and referencesto business-based market competition

theories. We should insist that voucheradvocates show evidence that the threat orreality of losing some students somehowimproves local public school performance.Without evidence, public officials shouldbe hard-pressed to approve transfers ofpublic monies to untested alternatives.

Concerns about Diminished Accessand Lowered Accountability

Public schools that receive state andfederal funding are subject to strict civilrights requirements, extensive public reviewand high levels of public accountability.Proponents of using public monies forprivateschooling historically have requested fullaccess to public funds accompanied bypartial or full exclusion from federal andstate civil rights access requirements andstate accountability requirements. This raisesthe question of whether or not the entitiesthat receive public funds should have similaraccountabilities.

Should all schools be equal, or can somebe accepted as more or less equal thanothers?If a non-public school receives publicfunds should it be subject to open recordrequirements?

Full Pockets - continued on page 6

May 1998 IDRA Newsletter

6

Full Pockets continued from page 5

Should the school be required (like allpublic schools) to serve all students withinits jurisdictional area, including childrenwith "special needs"?Should schools that receive public moneybe required to comply with federal laws?Will all schools that receive state fundingbe subjected to identical stateaccountability and reportingrequirements, or will private schools beexempted?

IDRA contends that anyone whoreceives public funds should be subject tothe same high levels of public scrutiny andpublic accountability. In the case of privateschools, however, who can be heldaccountable by the public, particularly if thepublic has no role in selecting the schoolleadership or the governing board?

Key QuestionsThe concerns raised above pose

serious legal and practical challenges to theconcept of providing public monies tosubsidize private school operations. It willnot matter whether the state provides 100percent or 1 percent of individual studentfunding for private schooling. The provisionof public monies for private schools itselfraises a tremendous number of public policyquestions and concerns for students thatsimply will not go away regardless of howsophisticated the rhetoric becomes.

THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC MONIES

FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS

ITSELF RAISES A TREMENDOUS

NUMBER OF PUBLIC POLICY

QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS

FOR STUDENTS THAT SIMPLY WILL

NOT GO AWAY REGARDLESS

OF HOW SOPHISTICATED THE

RHETORIC BECOMES.

Implementing or expanding public fundingfor private schooling before these majorissues are resolved is poor public policy.

Regarding any voucher proposal(publicly or privately funded), the followingquestions should be raised and answered.

How many students will be subsidizedannually through the program? Whatcriteria will be used to make theselections?What provisions will be made to assurethat students (rather than schools) havereal options? For example, whatguarantees will parents and students havethat they will not be denied admission toany school they apply to because ofcharacteristics that require adaptation ofinstruction?What guarantees do students have thatthey will not be required to pass an

"School choice is the right name for a wrongheaded re-form of publiceducation. It is the private schools with the choice ... they decidewhether to accept a child or not."

James M. Dunn, executive director,Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, (March 1996).

"So far there is little evidence to support the view that choice enhancesschool effectiveness measured by students' academic achievement...There are, however, a number of consequences of using public funds[for private schooling] that are virtually certain. The more [suchmeasures are] maximized, the more likely it is that we will also:

Sort students by race, income and religion and increase socialconflict and economic disparity.

Reduce financial support for public education and forprogramsserving children with special needs.

Increase the costs of good private schools.

Lower standards of academic performance overall andsimultaneously decrease the demand for school reform at thegrassroots and among elites."

Willis D. Hawley, dean of the college of education, University of Maryland, in "ThePredictable Consequences of School Choice," Education Week (April 10, 1996).

achievement or other academic skillsadmission or screening test as a conditionof their enrollment or re-enrollment?What support will be provided fortransportation for those students whoseparents do not have cars or the money tocover daily bus or subway fares?What guarantees will be provided toassure future applicants that preferenceswill not be given to family members orprevious voucher recipients?

Concerns in Edgewood ISDReaction in San Antonio to the CEO

Foundation announcement has been mixed.Some members of the Edgewood communitywere understandably excited about theprospects of getting "scholarships" tosupport their child's enrollment in privateschools. Some expressed reservations aboutthe proposal and perceived hidden agendas.Some came to the defense of the schooldistrict's improvements in studentachievement during the last several years.Others raised critical questions regardingthe impact that the foundation's plan wouldhave on the quality of schooling available tothe majority of students who would remainin the district's schools.

There are questions circulating aboutthe number of students the program canactually accommodate. On average,Edgewood ISD students who apply forenrollment at some of the city's more upscaleprivate schools would require a $4,000subsidy per year. The CEO program couldonly support 1,250 of Edgewood ISD's14,000 students in a single year. Assumingthat these 1,250 pupils are evenly distributedacross grades (96 pupils at each grade level)and that the only students who do not renewtheir scholarships are graduating seniors,only 96 new slots would be open each year.

Even if the average scholarship is$2,000 (half the average actual tuitioncharged), no more than 2,500 students couldparticipate, and only 192 new slots would beopen in each year after the first year.

Other questions relate to (a) the criteriathat would be used to decide which studentsreceive money and which are denied, (b)who would make those decisions (thefoundation or the schools where the pupilsare applying), and (c) where parental choicefits in such a scenario.

Proponents of the program havepublicly claimed that almost all Edgewoodstudents would be eligible to apply for thescholarships. What has not been stated is

Full Pockets - continued on page /5

May 1998 IDRA Newsletter

WOMEN IN EDUCATION FIELDS

Much has been written about the glassceiling that invisible, seeminglyimpenetrable barrier that blocks women fromprogressing to the highest levels ofmanagement. In the 1990s, it seems thatwomen are making great strides in thestruggle for equal rights. But even today, thegap between men and women inadministrative positions is disturbing,particularly in the area of education.

In the state of Texas, men significantlyoutnumber women in all of the prominentprofessions in society, including architecture,engineering, law and most areas ofmannement and administration. Yet, themale dominance in administration in thefield of education is specifically unusualbecause women make up 77.3 percent of allteachers, the group from which schooladministrators are drawn (Texas EducationAgency, 1998). The lack of proportionalrepresentation of women combines with aneven greater lack of representation by peopleof color. This makes the picture for minoritywomen even more distressing.

Since its passage in 1972, Title IX hashad a profound impact on changing attitudes,assumptions, behavior and understandingabout how sexual stereotypes can limiteducational opportunities. We now knowthat gender is a poor predictor of one's

proficiency, capability or intelligence. Therehave been changes for women in the areas ofleadership and management in publicschools. However, what still holds true aboutpublic education is that, while womendominate the field, they hold few leadershippositions.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA)recently reported facts about women ineducation fields in Texas in the 1997-98school year, including the following.

Women represent three-fourths (75.6percent) of the 493,440 public educationemployees.Women of color represent one-fourth(25.5 percent) of public educationemployees.Women of color represent 1.4 percent ofsuperintendents; 9.1 percent of assistantsuperintendents; 6 percent of principals;and 9 percent of assistant principals.More than half (56.5 percent) of the femaleteachers in public schools worked in earlychildhood and elementary schools. TEAreports that, of the 111,284 teachers thatworked in pre-kindergarten, kindergartenand elementary schools, 90 percent werewomen in the 1997-98 school year.Almost two-thirds (62.1 percent) of malepublic education employees are workingin secondary schools. They make up 39.4

NUMBER OF WOMEN IN TEXAS PUBLIC EDUCATION

BY YEAR AND JOB TITLE, 1990 TO 1998

,...'"

80

70

60

.1. ...... i.f. .......+ . ...... 4.

4. .....4. `'.'

.-.....

""X50

40

.1. .

may.e-

--11

-- 44 ... ...K .... - -.1t.'"--"-...-"")61..._ ,...... .,.., ........ .-

30

20

iii.--- t`

10

0

1990-91

I

1991-92

I 1 I 1

1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96

Schaal Year

I

1996-97

1

1997-98

it--.

Teachers - ... - AdministratorsAdministration Officers -- - PrincipalsAssistant Principals ----. Superintendents

Assistant Superintendents.Source: Texas Education At:ency Personnel Rosters (1990 to 1998).

percent of all secondary teachers.The majority of the administrators in theTexas public school system are male. Ofthe 16,536 administrators (public schooladministrators include instructionalofficers, principals, assistantsuperintendents and superintendents),50.1 percent are male. Of the 993superintendents in Texas, 90.3 percentare male.

Yet in the past eight years, there hasbeen some progress for women in the area ofadministrative and leadership positions inTexas public schools (see box).

The number of women in publiceducation in Texas has stayed relatively thesame while the number of administratorshas shown an optimistic increase. In the1990-91 school year, women comprised78.5 percent of the teachers in publiceducation but only 36 percent of itsadministrative leadership positions. Sevenyears later, women still dominate the teachingprofession (77.3 percent) while holdingalmost half (49.9 percent) of theadministrative positions (TEA, 1998).

In the area of principalships animportant leadership position in Texas publicschools there has been significant change.In the 1990-91 school year, 36.9 percent ofthe principals were women. In the 1997-98school year, the percentage of womenprincipals increased to 50.4 percent.

Little change has taken place insuperintendent positions. In the 1985-86school year, 2 percent of the superintendentswere female (Cantu, 1996). In the 1997-98school year, 9.7 percent of thesuperintendents were women (TEA, 1998).

It simply does not seem possible that77.3 percent of teachers are excluded fromthe superintendency based on a gender bias.It would seem that is the only conclusionwhen only 22.7 percent of teachers areconsidered qualified to be administrators(TEA, 1998).

In comparing 1990 to 1998 statisticsto the earlier figures about males and femalesin public education, most observationscontinue to be true (see box). Women stillmake up most of the teachers and supportstaff personnel. Men still dominate the highadministrative positions in public education.It has taken 13 years to increase thepercentage of women in administrative

Women in Education - continued on page /5

BEST COPY AVAILABLEMay 1998 IDRA Newsletter

8

REFLECTIONS ON EQUITY

Many students in U.S. schools are reporting to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S.Department of Education that they have experienced discrimination because of their race, national origin,gender, language background or disability. OCR consists of 12 enforcementoffices with a headquartersin Washington, D.C. It receives roughly 5,000 administrativecomplaints each year from students, staff andparents who allege illegal discrimination against students. We have no way to document unreported mattersinvolving discrimination, of course, but one indicator that schools and colleges are faced with problemsof alleged discrimination and are working to avoid discrimination may be the level of requests OCRreceives for technical assistance 500 calls a week.

aThe good news is that, without exploring the question as to whether discrimination has occurred, our

office has been able to reach agreements to positive solutions in many of the cases filed with OCR. Theresolutions, which satisfy the school and the student, were reached promptly, often in the same semester that the complaints were filed.

The bad news is that far too many of the complaints filed with OCR are due to, in my words, "old-fashioned and traditional"discrimination. These complaints signal that equal access to education is still being denied despite the many federal laws have been in placefor a quarter of a century. What do I mean by "old-fashioned" problems? One exampleis the disabled high school senior who was informedby her school that her graduation diploma would be mailed to her home because the graduation ceremony would be held in an auditoriumthat was not wheelchair accessible. This exclusion from the benefits of education should not exist 25 years after the passage of Section504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination against students on the basis of disability.

Why do civil rights problems persist? One suggestion is that local staff and leadership turnover contributes to the need for constantreminders about what the civil rights laws do and do not require. That is a plausible explanation. It has also been suggested that federaland state civil rights agencies have not enforced the laws adequately. If the expectation is thatthe agencies will require quotas, that is nota realistic request. We do not enforce quotas. The expectation is that we follow the people-intensive task of tackling small concerns beforethey grow into large problems, but this type of civil rights enforcement has not been consistent because appropriations have been uncertain.A third suggestion that I personally reject is that parents and the board members they elect to represent them just do not care about providingequity in education.

Assuming that the reason old-fashioned discrimination against students continues is insufficient training of new decision makers aboutpractices and policies that serve students equitably, let us look at what is required under federal statutes.

Norma V. Cantu

Ending DiscriminationIn recent years, Congress has passed five broad federal statutes that protect students from discrimination. These laws prohibit

discrimination on the basis of disability, age, sex, race and national origin. A few people criticize the federal civil rights laws as weak becausethe laws require equal opportunities for students, not equal results. These critics point out that vulnerable children need guarantees ofsuccess, not merely a chance to succeed. I do not agree. All children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds,can learn when givena chance.

It is undisputed that the federal laws do work to open doors. For example, 25 years ago, before Title IX was passed, girls were oftenexcluded from educational programs and benefits solely because schools tolerated gender barriers to educational opportunities. Today,because of that law, women have greater access to high school math and science courses, high school and college sports, college degrees,and faculty positions. Men have also gained access to traditionally women-dominated fields.

Similarly, students with disabilities have overcome substantial barriers to educational opportunitiesas a result of the civil rights laws.In 1975, more than 1 million children with disabilities were excluded from public school. Today, access to degrees for students withdisabilities is similar to that of students without disabilities.

Removing discriminatory barriers is not easy. In the past four years, in partnership with state leadership, OCR has producedsubstantial educational opportunities. To list a few examples, OCR, in state partnerships, has:

removed barriers statewide to participation by minorities and limited English-speaking adults in state-run vocational rehabilitationprograms in California,removed barriers statewide to participation by minorities in gifted and talented programs in Georgia, andremoved barriers statewide to participation by minorities in high-track, accelerated courses in Louisiana and Mississippi.

These changes in expanding access to education open opportunities to thousands of students nationally.

Creating EquityFederal laws and their enforcement cannot by themselves overcome all of the educational variables. Some students may see the open

door, yet not step in. No federal agency mandates regular daily attendance, or ensures that homework is completed, or obligates a studentReflections on Equity continued on page 9

May 1998 IDRA Newsletter

Reflections on Equity continued from page 8

to take certain challenging electivecourses. All the federal civil rights lawscan do is remove discriminatory barriers.It is then up to students, teachers andparents to contribute their share of theeducational partnership in order to moveahead.

The New Civil Rights ChallengeIn the next century, the challenge

will be to continue the battle againstdiscrimination and, at the same time,pursue strategies to promote educationalexcellence throughout the nation. AsSecretary of Education Richard W. Rileyhas often said, ensuring access to a qualityeducation should be considered a civilright of the 1990s. Our country's studentsdeserve no less.

Norma V. Cantu is the assistant secretary forcivil rights at the U.S. Department ofEducation. Reprinted with permission from the artist Ben Sargent, Austin American-Statesman.

DESEGREGATION ASSISTANCE MODULES AVAILABLE

Sex Stereotyping and Bias: Their Origin and Effectsby Reeve Love, Ph.D., and Alicia Salinas Sosa, Ph.D.

This training module is designed for trainers to assist classroom teachers inidentifying sources and effects of sex stereotyping and bias in the classroom settingand in society as a whole. Use this tool to help participants become aware of the socio-economic and psychological effects of sex-role stereotyping and of ways in whichgender bias and stereotyping are manifested in the classroom setting. Participants canalso review the origin and effects of gender bias and stereotyping in the media. This57-page module comes with session outlines, a pre/post test, handout and transpar-ency masters, and visuals (ISBN 1-878550-57-8: 1995 Revised).

It's a MRace RQ1atil

1717 71:

rte..

ems.ree.

Sex Stereotyping and Was:Their Origin and Effects

It's a Matter of Race: Race Relations in the Desegregated Settingby Bradley Scott. M.A.

This training module is designed for trainers to familiarize classroom teachers with key issues regarding interpersonal racerelationships in the desegregated setting and to review suggestions on how to handle these relationships effectively.Participants will establish an appropriate context for examining race relations in the desegregated setting. Use this moduleto familiarize participants with important related race relation terms and to analyze examples of racism or other forms ofdiscrimination. Participants can also apply a process for dispelling rumors and myths that affect good race relations. This52-page module comes with session outlines, a pre/post test, and handout and transparency masters (ISBN 1-878550-17-9;1996 Second Edition).

$8.50 each. To order, send a check or purchase order to:IDRA, 5835 Callaghan Road, Suite 350, San Antonio, Texas 78228-1190; fax 210/684-5389.

Other modules for training and technical assistance are available, contact IDRA to request a list or see IDRA's web site at <www.idra.org>.

May 1998

BEST COPY AVAllLaiLE

97 IDRA Newsletter

0

Violence in Our Schools continued from page 1

Diane Levin from the NationalAssociation for the Education of YoungChildren provides one suggestion. Thereis a media culture of violence that affectschildren. It can be seen in the followingseven ways, as reported by the AmericanMedical Association.

Media violence causes an increase inmean-spirited, aggressive behavior.Media violence causes increased levelsof fearlessness, mistrust and self-protective behavior toward others.Media violence contributes todesensitization and callousness towardthe suffering of others.Media violence provides violent heroeswhom children seek to emulate.Media violence provides a justificationfor resorting to violence when childrenthink they are right.Media violence creates an appetite forviewing more extreme violence.Media violence fosters a culture in whichdisrespectful behavior is valorized as away of treating others (Levin, 1998).

In the absence of other intervenors,this media violence shapes and produceschildren who accept violence not as anexceptional way to handle life, but as thetypical way to handle life.

Exhaustive reviews of the evidence,accumulated for more than 40 years in morethan 3,000 studies, have lead researchers toconclude that the media significantlycontributes to the aggressive behavior andattitudes of many children, adolescents andadults (Donnerstein, Slaby and Eron, 1993).

Another suggestion is offered by areport by the Association for Supervisionand Curriculum Development. DavidJohnson and Roger Johnson suggest thatchanging patterns of family and communitylife are partially responsible for this tendencytoward violence:

Today, children are more isolated fromtheir parents, extended family membersand other adults than ever before...Divorce, abuse, poverty, drugs and otherforces that interfere with healthy parentingdisrupt many families. With isolation,separation and abuse comes a lack ofsocialization... What is perhaps mostalarming is that violence is becoming socommonplace in many communities andschools that it is considered the normrather than the exception (1995).

In short, violent schools are producedand reproduced in violent, alienated, estrangedcommunities and homes.

disingenuous toward those who are not incontrol that people must do whatever isnecessary to protect themselves, theirfriends, their turf and their possessions

Harriet Romo attributes a large portionof the problem of conflicts between racialand ethnic groups in schools to somepersistent problems that we still mustaddress. These include:

The ways that members of certain racialor ethnic groups are included or excludedwithin U.S. society and schools.The formal ways (e.g., ability grouping,tracking, honors versus regular classes,remedial and vocational classes) andinformal ways (e.g., self-separation andsegregation, selecting and "claiming"school territory) that students areresegregated in schools and classrooms.The ways racial and ethnic group identityare used to include and exclude peoplefrom groups and to make some feelinferior or superior based upon the statusassigned to the inclusion or exclusion.The persistent matters of prejudice,stereotypes and discrimination thatcontinue to surface around race, color,ethnicity and economic status as well asgender (1997).

The IDRA Desegregation AssistanceCenter South Central Collaborative forEquity (DACSCCE) is funded by the U.S.Department of Education to provide servicesto schools in Arkansas, Louisiana, NewMexico, Oklahoma and Texas. As in otherregions, numerous racial incidents andoutbreaks have occurred. We have surveyedteachers and students about their perceptionsof race relations, interaction and conflict intheir schools: They told us that much of theproblem is the result of people havingnegative attitudes and prejudices againsteach other, people not being able to trusteach other across racial and ethnic lines,people only wanting to help their "ownkind" and showing favoritism, and those incharge only giving lip service to fair andequitable treatment, respect and acceptance.

These respondents are recognizing alack of good faith among people acrossracial and ethnic lines that translates intonegative treatment and interaction. Evenmore disturbing is the general perception, inthese instances, that those in control are so

from those "controlling others." We havefound this to be true whether those incontrol are "majority" or "minority."

The DACSCCE has beenworking to create safe and drug-free schoolsfor almost nine years. The comprehensiveregional assistance centers authorized bythe Improving America's Schools Act of1994 and the desegregation assistancecenters have worked together to assistdistricts to create safe and drug-free schoolssince 1995.

There are three sets of issues thatmust be addressed to create safe schools.One set of issues relates to violence ingeneral. Another set involves violence thatis motivated by race and ethnicity. Finally,there is a set of issues where violence ismotivated by gender. Because of someunique concerns that arise in this last area, itwill be addressed in an upcoming article inthe IDRA Newsletter, while the first twoissues are addressed here.

Suggestions for Violence PreventionRegarding violence prevention in

general, Johnson and Johnson suggest thatschools do the following.1. Admit that conflicts are out of control.2. Implement a conflict resolution

program.3. Implement a violence prevention

program that has a variety ofcomponents:

Eliminate weapons brought to schools,through random searches if necessary.Have a predetermined way to addressviolent behavior when it occurs.Train faculty, staff and students torecognize and intervene in violentsituations.Target individuals who commitviolent acts and use availableresources to modify their behavior.Teach students to recognize andchange beliefs that result in violenceand to manage anger.Employ the help of others from thecommunity to speak to students toencourage them to abstain fromviolence.Create district-level and campus-leveltask forces on violence to develop asystem for identifying the causes ofviolence.

Violence in Our Schools - continued on page 11

May 1998 IDRA Newsletter 1

Violence in Our Schools - continued from page l0

Adopt a threat-management policy toensure that students will receiveprotection if they believe they are indanger.Provide counselor-led debriefing andsupport sessions for studentstraumatized by violent incidents.Initiate a weapons and violence hotlineto report weapons and violence thatoccurs on school grounds or at school-related activities.

4. Become a "conflict positive"organization by enhancing the qualityof teaching, learning and school life,and by organizing students and teachersinto teams that work in cooperativelearning groups and collegial teachinggroups. Implement preventionprograms focused on negotiation, peermediation, arbitration and conflictresolution (1995).

The comprehensive regionalassistance centers, such as the STARCenter*, can assist school districts byproviding technical assistance to addressthese general issues of conflict. Thedesegregation assistance centers can assistschool districts in addressing violencemotivated by race and ethnicity.

Addressing Racial HostilityIn addition to the concerns noted above

regarding violence in general, there are someissues that must be addressed when dealingwith violence that is motivated by race andethnicity.

President Clinton noted on June 14,1997, as he spoke about his initiative onrace, "Building one America is our mostimportant mission... money cannot buy it.Power cannot compel it. Technology cannotcreate it. It can only come from the humanspirit." His advisory board on race explained:

The initiative is an effort to move thecountry closer to a stronger, more justand unified America, one that offersopportunity and fairness for allAmericans. It is a chance forevery citizenin our country to be a part of a greatnational conversation about America'sracial diversity and about the strength itbrings our nation (1998).

The President has called on the nationto engage in dialogues on race. PatrisiaGonzalez and Roberto Rodriguez remind usthat, today, these dialogues cannot andshould not be just about African Americanand White relations. They must "speak toAmerica's reality, particularly its cities

where the dynamic is not between AfricanAmericans and Whites, but rather amongBlacks, Latinos, Asians, American Indians,Arab Americans and Whites, whoincreasingly find themselves in the minority"(1997).

More than dialogues alone, however,let me suggest a 15-point program for schoolsand communities that are addressing racialhostility and violence.1. Create a clear and specific policy

addressing a prohibition againstviolence of all kinds that will not betolerated on school campuses or atschool-related activities.

2. Create and implement a specific policyon violence predicated upon race andethnicity. Ensure that this policy isaligned with the Office for Civil Rightsguidelines on racial harassment andhostility in schools. Provide training onracial hostility and harassment to staff,students and parents.

3. Establish campus-level action plansfor addressing intergroup and racerelations. Include a component thataddresses the proper procedures forhandling racial outbreaks (should theyoccur) so that they will not escalate.

4. Establish and consistently implementdisciplinary procedures for handlingstaff, students or any agent of the schoolwho act in a racially hostile or violentmanner.

5. Ensure that administrators and staffcontinually publicly communicate thatracial hostility and violence will notbe tolerated on the campus, at anyschool functions or related activities.

6. Implement training and developmentfor staff, students and parents onmediation skills, conflict resolutionand hostility intervention where theimpact of race and ethnic prejudice,attitudes and perceptions are the focusof discussion.

7. Implement training for staff, studentsand parents on prejudice reduction,discrimination and race hate crimes.

8. Structure discussions and activities intoappropriate areas of the curriculumsuch as social studies, literature andgovernment courses. These topicsshould include discussions on race, racerelations, prejudice, discrimination,responsible citizenship and socialjustice.

9. Structure culturally relevantclassroom learning activities so thatinterracial teams of students interact to

reach common instructional and socialgoals, and expand their knowledge andacquaintance of each other.

10. Establish local dialogues on race andethnic relations and facilitate thesesessions with skilled, trained groupleaders that possess group dynamic andgroup processing skills.

11. Ensure that there is a procedure fordealing with outside agitators thatattempt to peddle race hate on thecampus or at school-related functions.

12. Ensure that there is a procedure forinforming and including the police(when and if the need should arise) toresolve conflicts and violence.

13. Establish active, visible, legitimateopportunities for parents to beinvolved in and responsible foraddressing, monitoring and helping toresolve racial conflicts, hostility andviolence.

14. Examine and re-organize classroomand school structures and other

Violence in Our Schools continued on page 12

UPCOMING EVENTS

Bilingual Education in Texas:Unidos Para Un Futuro Brillante

Hosted byTexas Association for Bilingual Education

October 21-24, 1998San Antonio, Texas

For more information,call I 800 -TABE -930.

Improving America's Schools1998 Regional Conferences

Hosted byU.S. Department of Education

Western Region: Portland, OregonOctober 19-21, 1998

Central Region: Denver, ColoradoNovember 18-20, 1998

Eastern Region: Nashville, TennesseeDecember 15-17, 1998

For more information, call 1-800-203-5494or visit wwwmcbe.gwa.eduliasconferences.

May 1998 IDRA Newsletter

12

Violence in Our Schools - continued from page 11

operations that separate and segregatestudents along racial lines, and in thoseinstances where racially identifiableseparations exist that are legitimatelyunavoidable, ensure that suchseparations are kept to a minimum intime and purpose.

15. Regularly conduct environmentalscanning to determine the quality ofrace relations by surveying students,staff, parents and others as necessary tostay on top of intergroup relations andany potential problems that might leadto outbreaks of racial violence.

This 15-point program requires parentaland community support, resources andcommitment. Educators can conduct some ofthe activities on their own, but the impact will not

be as effective as with the active participation ofparents and other community members.

The violence in our schools is everybody's

business. We cannot afford to allow ithowever

it is precipitated and motivatedto interfere withthe goals that we have established for academicachievement and excellence. Our studentsdeserve more than violent lives and violentschools. For that matter, our nation deservesmore.

ResourcesDonnerstein, E., R. Slaby and L Eron. The Mass

Media and Youth Aggression (AmericanPsychological Association, 1993).

Gonzalez, P., and R. Rodriguez. "Black/White: Notthe Whole Story," Race File (Oakland, California:Applied Research Center, July-August 1997).

Intelligence Project. 474 Hate GroupsBlanketAmerica(Montgomery, Alabama: Southern Poverty LawCenter, Winter 1997) Vol. 89, pp. 6-11, 35-57.

Johnson, D.W., and R.T. Johnson. Reducing SchoolViolence Through Conflict Resolution (Alexandria,Virginia: Association for Supervision andCurriculum Development, 1995) pp. 1-24.

Levin, D.E. Remote Control Childhood? Combatingthe Hazards of Media Culture (Washington, D.C.:National Association for the Education of YoungChildren, 1998) pp. 1-33.

Martinez, S. (Ed.). The State of America's ChildrenYearbook 1998 (Washington, D.C.: Children'sDefense Fund, 1998).

Romo, H. "Improving Ethnic and Racial Relations inThe Schools," ERIC Digest (Charleston, WestVirginia: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Educationand Small Schools, the Appalachia EducationalLaboratory, Inc., October 1997).

Scott, B. (1995, January). "The Fourth Generation ofDesegregation and Civil Rights," IDRA Newsletter(San Antonio, Texas: Intercultural DevelopmentResearch Association, January 1995).

The President's Initiative on Race. One America in the21st Century: The President's Initiative on Race,pamphlet (Washington, D.C.: New ExecutiveOffice Building, no date).

* The STAR Center is the comprehensive regionalassistance center funded by the U.S. Department ofEducation to serve Texas. It is a collaboration of theIntercultural Development Research Association(IDRA), the Charles A. Dana Centerat the Universityof Texas at Austin, and RMC Research Corporation.For information about STAR Center services call 1-888 -FYI -STAR.

Bradley Scott, MA., is a senioreducation associate inthe IDRA Division of Professional Development.Comments and questions may be sent to him via e-mail at idra@idra.org.

HIGHLIGHTS OF RECENT ID RA ACTIVITIESIn March, IDRA worked with 5,362teachers, administrators and parentsthrough 35 training and technical as-sistance activities and 143 programsites in 12 states plus the United King- Activity Snapshotdom. Topics included: A major urban school district in southeast Texas plagued by racial tension,

Advocacy and Community hostility and violence requested assistance from the IDRA DesegregationBuilding Assistance Center South Central Collaborative for Equity. The center

+ Implementing ESL Standards quickly assessed the situation and context; interviewed and surveyed keyinto the Curriculum forces in the district including administrators, teachers, parents and students;

+ Thematic Units and articulated a clear and appropriate response to the problem. Part of that+ Sexual Harassment Prevention response included bringing together the different key stakeholders and+ IDRA Focusing on Language helping them to realize the effects that their tension, hostility and violence

and Academic Instructional were having on children. Through our collective work in dialogs, effectiveRenewal project evaluation decision-making and problem-solving, they transformed the school

environment.Participating agencies and schooldistricts included:

.0- Midland Independent SchoolDistrict (ISD), Texas

.0. Wagon Mound PublicSchools, New Mexico Regularly, IDRA staff provides services to: Services include:

-0. Cyprus Fairbanks ISD, Texas + public school teachers 4 training and technical-0. Texas Education Service + parents assistance

Center, Region XI (Ft. Worth) + administrators .0. evaluation.0. Houston ISD, Texas other decision makers in public .0. serving as expert witnesses in.0. Community Education education policy settings and court cases

Leadership Program 4 publishing research and4 Laredo ISD, Texas professional papers, books,

videos and curricula

For information on IDRA services for your school district or other group, contact IDRA at 210/684-8180.

May 1998 12! IDRA Newsletter

WHY Do GIRLS DROP OUT?

Whether or not they are excelling inschool, girls are often not given appropriateattention in classrooms. In many instances,male and female teachers enact sexist viewsand enforce stereotypes in the classroom,ignoring the potential (positive and/ornegative) of female students.

One teacher sadly admits that boysget all the attention, "It's all negativeattention detention, things like that butit's attention, it signals who's moreimportant" (Orenstein, 1994). Of course,teachers are not the sole bearers of theblame, the problem is much deeper. Sexismis ingrained in every facet of our lives.

Gender Bias in SchoolsIn Schoolgirls: Young Women, Self-

Esteem, and the Confidence Gap, PeggyOrenstein analyzes some of the issues thatgirls have to deal with in school that relateto gender and power. Her examination ofpoor and minority girls includes observationsthat many feminist and gender equityadvocates ignore. She writes:

The gap in standardized test scoresbetween the affluent and the poor isfar greater than any gender gapbetween low-income boys and girls.Low-income children, regardless ofrace, rarely score at the advanced levelsin reading or math, while high-incomestudents seldom fall below the basicskills level (Orenstein, 1994).

In classrooms with high numbers ofethnic minorities, boys and girls alikeexperience inequities such as low standards,poor resources and cultural insensitivity.These boys and girls are faced with markedlydifferent situations than students frommiddle-class and high-income families.Gender equity is a low priority, and it is analmost non-existent worry at schools whereteachers and administrators believe that the"real" problems are related to poverty.

While these issues are significant,verbal and physical abuse plaguesclassrooms. The obscenities that girls andboys subject themselves to are clearly illegaland are in violation of the Office for CivilRights guidelines. Yet many educators turnaway from those "less important" problemssuch as sexual harassment and sexist actions.

When Orenstein complained of thesexual harassment she witnessed in aparticular urban school, she wrote:

WHILE EDUCATORS,

ADMINISTRATORS AND ENTIRE

COMMUNITIES BLAME CHILDREN

FOR DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL,

RESEARCH SHOWS THAT STUDENTS

DROP OUT BECAUSE THEY FEEL

DISCONNECTED FROM THE SCHOOL

AND BECAUSE THEY LACK SUPPORT.

Those teachers respond[ed] that thechildren's home environment makestheir school behavior inevitable. Inother words, instead of the hackneyedpretext that "boys will be boys," theunspoken implication is that "Blackswill be Blacks," "Latinos will beLatinos," or, perhaps, "poor peoplewill be poor people." That assumptionserves the school well: it convenientlyblinds teachers to the large number ofboys and girls who do not harass...while absolving them of responsibilityfor educating the ones that do(Orenstein, 1994).

These types of assumptions encouragegirls (and boys) to lose faith in the institutionof education. If a girl believes that no onecares, then she too will stop caring aboutherself and her involvement in school. Thus,while educators, administrators and entirecommunities blame children for droppingout of school, research shows that studentsdrop out because they feel disconnectedfrom the school and because they lacksupport.

A 1989 Women's Educational EquityAct (WEEA) study, entitled FemaleDropouts: A New Perspective, reported:

When people think of students whoare most likely to dropout, they thinkfirst of disruptive boys, and then ofpregnant girls. This stereotype doesnot reflect reality. Girls and boysdrop out of school at approximatelythe same rate. Further, although 40percent of girls who drop out arepregnant or getting married, themajority of girls who drop out arenot (WEEA, 1989).

Many members of society havebecome complacent with their attitudestoward the drop out phenomenon in the

nation Some educators believe that there islittle that can be done to prevent dropouts,but one only has to talk to student dropoutsto learn that the obstacles they encounteredwere deep and began long before marriageor pregnancy.

Students' PerspectivesIn 1996, students in an adult education

class conducted a survey of other adults. Forthis article, I analyzed a sample of 38 subjects(33 females and five males) who wereinterviewed in Brownsville, Texas, byBrenda Pimental and Mike Standeford. Allof the subjects were identified as high schooldropouts and were involved in a state-fundedadult education program.

Out of 38 interviewees, only fivereported pregnancy as the reason they leftschool, and 10 said they left school to getmarried. Other reasons included: workingto support the family; being an immigrant ormigrant worker; unfair treatment fromteachers, administrators or parents; languagebarriers; peer pressure; and self-madedecisions.

One woman reported that althoughher pregnancy was the reason she left school,the treatment she received as a pregnantstudent forced her to make that decision. Inher own words she wrote:

I dropped out of school when I waspregnant. The P.E. coach made merun when I was 2'/2 months [pregnant].I told him that I was pregnant. He toldme to run but not fast (Hispanicfemale).

This young woman did not want toendanger herself or her child's health. Shewas not offered prenatal care informationabout her pregnancy, instead she was toldwhat to do, and there was no concern for herwell-being.

Another woman indicated that sexismdirectly affected her future because herparents focused on educating the boys only.They said boys need to have an educationbecause men support the family" (Hispanicfemale).

At least 15 of the subjects said that themajority of the teachers, counselors andadministrators were not nice or good tothem, and 11 did not feel that they had beengiven the same opportunities that otherstudents were given. The study showed that

Why Do Girls Drop Out? - continued on page 14

May 1998 IDRAnwsletter

Why Do Girls Drop Out? - continued from page 13

pregnancy and marriage as reasons for schoolnoncompletion occur at a lower rate thantypically perceived. Furthermore, studentsreceived little or no support from the schoolor community.

One of the major goals of the Intercul-tural Development Research Association hasbeen to help decrease the number of studentdropouts. IDRA has initiated several re-search projects that explore reasons stu-dents drop out and programs to implementdropout intervention strategies. IDRA re-search has found the following.

Expectations and success in school aredirectly related.Organizational operations can be struc-tured in order to facilitate the success ofall students who are at risk of droppingout.Curricular and instructional approachesthat are integrated, yet varied and flexibleenough to engage each student, facilitatethe success of children.Feelings of isolation contribute to drop-ping out of school. Schools can develop asense of belonging.Students require a broad range of ser-

vices to meet their socio-mental, healthand nutritional needs.Schools can increase their holding powerby responding to the economic needs ofat-risk students who must work.Preschool experiences can contribute tothe academic success of at-risk students(Robledo Montecel and Montemayor,1990).

This research was specifically designedto study low-income and at-risk students,but each finding can be held true for allstudents, including at-risk girls. Essentially,girls and boys that are at risk of dropping outneed to be valued by the school system,teachers, administrators and parents. Theprogress of each individual student is closelyrelated to the amount of support he or shereceives from the school community.

Janice Earle has 10 recommendationsfor taking a pro-active approach towardmaking true changes for girls a reality inschools.

Instruction should include cooperativework and should be sensitive to femalecognitive development.Girls with academic problems should beoffered extra assistance (e.g., peertutoring).Mentors and female role models invarious occupations should be sought

Why Do Girls Drop Out? continued on page /5

What Makes Girls at Risk?

Socialization

Cognitive Differences

Teacher Interaction

Curricular Choices

Girls are taught to be unassertive and to expectthat a man will take financial care of them in thefuture.

The teaching structure of most classrooms reflectsa bias toward the way boys learn, placing girls ata disadvantage.

Teachers' responses to students favor maleacademic development, confidence andindependence.

Girls limit their potential by the courses theyselect. They also choose vocational training fortraditionally female jobs with lower pay andprestige.

Which Girls Drop Out?

Background

Characteristics

Pregnancy, Parentingand Dropping Out

Female dropout rates are more sensitive tovariations in socio-economic status and to thenumber of their siblings than male dropout rates.

African American and Hispanic females are morelikely to drop out of school due to socio-economicfactors than White females.

Teen pregnancy is increasingly viewed as anindication of low self-esteem, low basic skillsand a general lack of life options. In this sense,the pregnancy itself is not the essential problem.

School Structure and Dropouts

School Structureand Girls

School Structure andAt-risk Youth

Many pregnant and parenting girls do not haveadequate support systems outside of school;therefore, schools must provide more than theeducation "basics."

As currently structured, schools do not workwell for at-risk students.

Female Dropouts: A New Perspective

AcademicConsequences

EconomicConsequences

Evidence suggests that femalesespecially thosewho are minorities in urban areas suffer moreserious academic consequences when they dropout. After dropping out, they are less likely toreturn to complete their education.

Evidence suggests that females suffer moreserious economic consequences when they dropout.

Source: Earle. J. and V. Roach. Female Dropouts: A New Perspective (Massachusetts: WEEAPublishing Center. 1989).

May 1998 4121 IDRA Newsletter15

Why Do Girls Drop Out? - continued from page 14

out and shared with students.Extracurricular activities should enablegirls to participate as actively as boys.Girls' self-esteem should be boosted withcounseling and/or other activities.Counseling and educational activitiesshould involve parents and encouragethem to be more involved in theirchildren's education more effectively.Partnerships must be formed with outsideagencies and organizations to providestudents with social services.School environments must be flexibleenough to accommodate students'individual learning and service needs.Staff development should explorestrategies for bias-free student-teacherinteractions.

Girls should be encouraged to pursuenontraditional careers and enroll in math,science and technology courses (Earleand Roach, 1989).

The recommendations made by theWEEA program and other educationadvocates are not new. Similarly, theproblems that female dropouts face are notnew. Yet while studies have proven thatthere are effective intervention programs,few school districts have adopted theseschoolwide reforms. Until these practicesare adopted, we can expect that the situationwill worsen and that the number of female(and male) dropouts will increase. The onlyway to truly decrease the number of dropoutsis to become pro-active leaders and followthe advice of the numerous studies that haveproven the value of these recommendations.

ResourcesEarle, J. and V. Roach. Female Dropouts: A New

Perspective (Newton, Mass.: WEEA PublishingCenter, 1989).

Fernandez, M.BarrioTeacher(South Pasadena, Calif.:Mystical Adventurer Press, 1992).

Orenstein, P. Schoolgirls: Young Women, Self-Esteem,and the Confidence Gap (New York, N.Y.: AnchorBooks, 1994).

Pimental, B. and M. Standeford. Dropout survey(Brownsville, Texas: Adult EducationDevelopment 501General Administrative Theoryand Practice, 1996).

Robledo Montecel, M. and A. Montemayor. "Success-ful Schooling and At-Risk Youth: Research Find-ings and Recommendations," IDRA Newsletter(San Antonio, Texas: Intercultural DevelopmentResearch Association, August 1990).

Anita Tijerina Revilla is an education assistantin the IDRA Division of ProfessionalDevelopment. Comments and questions may hesent to her via e-mail at idra@idra.org.

Full Pockets - continued from page 5

that students would have a one in 11 chanceof actually receiving support (assumingstudents are selected by lottery). If any formof testing or grades becomes a criteria, onlythose students meeting the designatedscreening criteria would get the monies thathave been promised. Those students whoare ultimately chosen to receive vouchersmust still be accepted by the school.

While seemingly impressive andcharitable on its surface, the foundation'sproposal will do little to help most studentsin Edgewood schools have access to a bettereducation. It may help a few, but it will nothelp the great majority of students.

As higher achieving students (andparents) opt out of public education, and asdistrict resources decline, the performanceratings of Edgewood ISD will probablydecline as well.

However, more than anything else,the situation points to the need for all studentsto have access to high quality publicly fundedpublic schools in their own communities.This is a public trust that is best addressed ina publicly controlled and publicly fundedenterprise.

Quality Schools for All ChildrenThose who fought for decades to

achieve equitable school funding did so toenable all students in all communities tohave access to high quality educationalprograms. This was a departure from the oldsystems that provided high quality schoolsfor some children. while relegating themajority of students to less than adequateschools or none at all. After many courtshave ruled that equitable access to funding

is legally required in publicly funded schools,it is noteworthy that some people wouldargue it is not possible or desirable to havethis universal quality across all publicschools.

Some skeptics observe that the cry forpublic funding for private schooling did notemerge until many states outlawed theoperation of grossly unequal public schools.These skeptics propose that the vouchermovement is little more than a ruse forgiving more options to a few select studentsand communities, restoring the privilege andfunding lost by the elite as a result of court-mandated reform.

Instead of abandoning some schoolsin order to attend others, why not concentrateon improving poor performing schoolslocated in some communities. Are they notworth improving? Does the community notdeserve excellent public schools?

Private support for private schoolshas been and should remain an alternativefor proponents of religiously affiliated andnon-sectarian private education. Providingscholarships to a few students in lowperforming schools, however, will contributelittle to the improvement of educationalopportunities for the overwhelming numberof students who will not benefit from suchprograms.

Gerald Terrozi, assistant secretary ofeducation, observes that in many instancesproponents of voucher plans give answersto questions that were never asked by localcommunities and avoid critical questionsthat focus on the real issues at hand.

Can public schools provide bothexcellence and equity for all pupils? IDRAbelieves they can. While it has long been a

critic of the quality of public schoolingavailable to too many of our children, IDRAcontinues to believe in the need for, viabilityof, and potential of public education. Likeour democracy, public education is neithereasy to implement, nor easy to sustain. Butcompared to the elitist, exclusionary systemsthat have evolved in many other countries, itis like our democracy a far better optionfor children.

Albert Cortez, Ph.D., is division director of theIDRA Institute for Policy and Leadership.Comments and questions may be sent to him viae-mail at idra@idra.org.

Women in Education continued from page 7

positions in public education from 29 percent(1984-85) to 49.9 percent (1997-98) (TEA,1998). Although women in administrativepositions are no longer considered an oddity,the numbers of women in these roles is farsmaller than is acceptable.

ResourcesChase, S.E. and C. Bell. "How Search Consultants

Talk about Female Superintendents," The SchoolAdministrator (February 1994).

Hammer. C. Public and Private School Principals:Are There Too Few Women? (Washington, D.C.:NCES National Center for Educational Statistics,January 1994) Publication Number 94-192.

Lerner, L. "Research Suggests the Glass CeilingEndures," Internet posting. (Commission on theStatus of Women, October 1997).

Texas Education Agency. "Texas Public SchoolDistricts Including Charter Schools, Table I Fall1990-98." FTE Counts by Personnel Types andSubtypes by Sex and Ethnicity State Total (Austin,Texas: Texas Education Agency, 1998).

Yojani Hernandez is a research assistant in theIDRA Division of Research and Evaluation.Comments and questions may be sent to her viae-mail at idra@idra.org.

May 1998 Eig IDRA Newsletter16

CHANGING FACES, CHANGING PLACES:CHALLENGES AS WE ENTER A NEW CENTURY

The face of education in the United States has changed in thelast 25 years, and the changes that began to emerge in the 1960s and1970s have accelerated. The places where education occurs havelikewise changed. Some schools, insulated from changing demo-graphics and isolated from the mainstream of the majority of thecountry, continue to be unaffected. But the majority of schools andteachers struggle to adapt to a new reality of different students,different parents and changing communities.

Statistics on school dropouts, retentions in grade and aca-demic achievement levels indicate that in too many schools andcommunities, educators are not succeeding. The reasons for thelack of success vary and are often multi-dimensional. IDRA be-lieves that one of the major reasons that more schools and morestudents are not succeeding is that, although the faces of thosewhom we educate have changed and will continue to change, thosewho serve them the school "systems" have not.

Schools continue to be staffed by teachers, administratorsand support staff who were prepared in other eras, who are differentin color and economic background than the communities that theyserve. Despite claims of reform, most schools operate out of aneducational paradigm that has remained basically unchanged fordecades: a paradigm in which educational success for some andeducational failure for many others is deemed acceptable.

This paradigm is based on a deficit view of children. Itassumes that a particular type of child whether defined by race,gender or language is to blame for educational failure. Deficitmodels try to change the characteristics of the student and thefamily so that they will fit into the school program. Instead, schoolsshould be changing their programs to fit their students.

Schools have been slow to change and have not been able tokeep up with the evolving realities (new faces, new societaldemands, fast technological advances) because schools are people,and real change is hard for real people. Like most institutions,schools tend to be tractive and resist change. Many people inschools know little about how change can be planned and managed,

even when they want to change. Inmany cases, people in schools do notsee for themselves that change is pos-sible and can be good. Schools do not feelthe urgency to change because schools are not held accountablefor results.

Since its beginning 25 years ago, IDRA has promoted ac-countability and equity in public schools. IDRA has providedexpert testimony in court cases that created contexts for change.IDRA worked with state legislatures to create policies that promoteappropriate instruction in bilingual education programs and toadvocate reforms to school finance systems. IDRA has conductedcritical research on the status of education and promising practices.For more than two decades, IDRA has operated a desegregationassistance center and various other research and technical assis-tance centers funded by the U.S. Department of Education. IDRAworks with tens of thousands of educators each year in creatingeducational solutions through participatory hands-on presenta-tions, workshops and technical assistance that promote sustainedgrowth and development.

Many people believe that schools must change but lackinsight on what needs to change and how to change it. Based on itsmore than 25 years of educational reform advocacy, IDRA believesthat schools can change, but not on their own.

In the 21st century, IDRA will continue to be a champion foreducation equity for all children as it works with people to achievethree targeted goals: for all children to stay in school through highschool graduation, for all children who speak a language other thanEnglish to benefit from quality instructional programs that capital-ize on students' language and culture, and for all children in everyneighborhood to have access to excellent public schools.

Schools can change if they have a new vision created bypeople who believe that all children are valuable, that all people cancontribute, and that public education can indeed change things,including futures.

Non-Profit Organization

Permit No. 3192San Antonio, TX 78228

P

ARc'H

5835 Callaghan Road, Suite 350San Antonio, TX 78228-1190

I I .1.1.I

60 305ERIC/CrACQUISIlIONSPO BOX 1340CHARLESTON, WV 25325-1349

Creating schools that work for all children,through research materials development training technical assistance evaluation information dissemination

(9/92)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI)

Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)

NOTICE

REPRODUCTION BASIS

IC

This document is covered by a signed "Reproduction Release(Blanket)" form (on file within the ERIC system), encompassing allor classes of documents from its source organization and, therefore,does not require a "Specific Document" Release form.

This document is Federally-funded, or carries its own permission toreproduce, or is otherwise in the public domain and, therefore, maybe reproduced by ERIC without a signed Reproduction Releaseform (either "Specific Document" or "Blanket").