The Role of Schools in Developing Sex Role Attitudes
I would like to discuss in this paper the role of schools and the educational process in transmitting and developing healthy attitudes toward sex roles. I will take the approach that in order for this to be accomplished, we must examine the behaviors and attitudes both of those who are educating and those who are being educated. My observations and data will be drawn from the environment with which I am most familiar, the American public education system, but I will also attempt to extend my remarks to include salient aspects of the educational systems of other cultures as I know them or have reports of them.
Sex Bias in Educational Testing: A Sociologist's Perspective. Research Memorandum No. 74-13.
Several criteria for assessing. bias in educational tests are presented end discussed. These criteria were developed in accordance with basic notions of fairness, equality, and expanded .life options for women. In terms of prescriptions for test , . _'.,:develdpers the criteria are: (1) tests should be constructed of items which contain either no sex references or equal sex references; (2) status of males and females within the test should be equal; (3) item content should not reinforce traditional sex stereotypes. Tests currently in 'use may be considered biased if:. (4) item content in terms of male-or female statuses or stereotypes affects the "performance of males or females differentially; (5) the test predicts differentially for males and females; (6) the test is, normed separately for males and febiales unless separate norms are used to 4 insure balance in selection; (7) the test is constructed so that female futures may be separated from male futures. (Author/RC)
Factors Likely to Influence Tort Litigation in the European Union
As the European Union moves towards harmonization in a variety of business, political, and regulatory settings, an opportunity exists to influence the form of tort liability found in these nations. The opportunity should not be missed, with rising concern that U.S. influences will set into motion costly litigiousness, particularly as EU member nations pull back on the level of social programmes available to cover costs typically included in tort claims. To assist policymakers in their deliberations about European Union tort directives, this paper provides discussion of the frequently cited key differences between the U.S. tort systems and what is found in most EU member nations. The discussion is focused on available evidence regarding the influences of these differences as well as important areas of future research. The most important areas seem to be (1) the need to enforce European Law when no defined regulatory body exists for this purpose; (2) the connection between government social programmes and the need for tort liability compensation; (3) and the influence of rules governing payment of legal costs and lawyer fees.