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The purposes of this study were (1) to identify through the Teacher Problem Inventory the perceived problems of selected teachers of two different types of Catholic elementary inner-city schools in Chicago and (2) to compare through the California F-Scale the perceived problems of open and closed-minded inner-city teachers of selected Catholic elementary schools in Chicago. Responses of the teachers to the Teacher Problem Inventory were considered in relation to the teachers': age, sex, race, number of years taught in the inner-city, type of schools, open or closed-minded and religious or lay teachers provided the basis for data analysis.

After a century of reform efforts, urban school districts have not demonstrated political, managerial, or technical skills for systemic and sustainable organizational transformation. This study proposes that this cycle of reform failure generates from a theoretical misunderstanding of education organizations as mechanical systems, where failure points can be identified and replaced with corrective action in a controlled environment. This study begins with the theoretical understanding of educational organizations as complex adaptive systems with broad and deep internal and external connections that may or may not be readily visible. This requires a reform approach that anticipates and takes advantage of the flexibility and agile responsiveness seen in sustainable complex systems across many diverse disciplines (neuroscience, biology, ecology, technology, social sciences). This study examines historical and current reform efforts within the current context of legal, legislative and policy environment of a typical urban district (Los Angeles Unified School District.), and proposes an alternative program design for district transformation based on complexity theory.

This study was conducted to obtain the views and recommendations of urban high school principals regarding the principals themselves, their schools, students and communities, and the professional growth needs of the principals. The study will also serve as a resource for the National Association of Secondary School Principals' Urban Schools Committee as it develops programs and activities to assist urban high school principals. Eight hundred fifteen of 1,259 urban high school principals responded to a survey. Descriptive research methodology was used in the study of the principals from the one hundred largest cities, according to population, in the nation. The majority of the principals were white males who averaged 50 years in age. There are more black and female high school principals in the urban districts (26% and 22.1% respectively) than there are in rural and suburban districts (3.8% and 12% respectively). These principals view student absenteeism as the greatest hindrance to academic achievement. They believe they have moderate authority over what takes place in their buildings and tend to be satisfied with their positions. The urban principals believe their students' academic competencies are average to below average. They also believe 80% or more of the students are having their needs met by teachers who they consider to be above average. The majority (74.5%) are members of NASSP. The results of the study indicate NASSP should initiate professional growth programs that bring recognition to urban high school principals and meet their unique needs. / Ed. D.

Rap is an extremely popular form of modern music that is notorious for incorporating themes of guns and violence into the lyrics. Early rap was mainly party or dance music until the mid-80s when structural shifts in social conditions brought feelings of hopelessness and frustration into black inner city communities and youth culture. These feelings now find expression in rap lyrics. This thesis uses rap lyrics as qualitative data to understand the plight of urban black youth. Rap music can be seen as a form of resistance for young African Americans who have historically never had such a medium to express their lived experiences and frustrations with society. The rap performance becomes a stage where the powerless become powerful by using the microphone as a symbolic AK-47 and words as weapons in the form of symbolic hollow point cartridges. This Thesis examines the contemporary African American experience, its reflection in the lyrics of rap music, and its fascination with guns, violence and death. A key theme is while rap lyrics sometimes seem radical and frightening to the mainstream, they often express lines of analysis and understanding that have been widely discussed in conventional sociological literature

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Historically in the United States people have sought perfection in society. In the 1700 and 1800s America's immigrants attempted to create utopian communities. In the 1960s and 1970s people formed cults in which, like this country's first Utopian communities, they have been unable to isolate themselves from reality and create a society without problems.During the 1980s and 1990s emerging militias signaled a dissatisfaction with the political and moral structure of the country. At the same time a second group of people began to escape to gated communities. Gated communities are often promoted as a means of escaping from the problems plaguing many communities today, especially crime.The results of the gated community escape movement are that America has a large portion of its population removing itself from taking any responsibility for America's social ills. This isolation is going to affect not only the "gated escapists", but local governments and society overall. If municipalities address the reasons driving people to live behind walls the walls will no longer be needed. / Department of Urban Planning

The recent financial crisis which has beset the United States has made itself felt in a number of ways, not the least of which has been its adverse effect on the housing market. As foreclosure percentages accelerated, increasing numbers of properties across the country became empty and abandoned, leaving a visible imprint of deterioration in neighborhoods that were significantly affected. Initial GIS analysis of both foreclosed and non-foreclosed residential land in Broward County Florida was conducted, showing that there is a discernible spectral difference in the lawn space of these two types of properties, with foreclosed properties exhibiting more brownness, or loss of green space. In order to evaluate whether or not this visible deterioration has had an effect on residents left behind in areas of foreclosure and their own habits, 950 mail-in surveys were distributed throughout 19 different census tracts in Broward County, inquiring about demographics, surrounding foreclosures, degrees of concern for home value and appearance, and changes in lawn maintenance since the foreclosure crisis along with reasons for such change if such exists. Data received from respondents was then analyzed in order to identify any attributes or correlations which might contribute to further neighborhood change, and how any of these factors might be affecting attitudes or perceptions of those left behind, as well as their lawn maintenance habits. / by Cindy M. Shaw. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This study questions if the advocacy efforts of community based organizations, like community development corporations, voluntary member associations, and community action agencies, can achieve policy development. Policy development is defined as the proposal of a policy by a community based organization. That policy proposal receives the attention of local decision makers for consideration. This study uses the stages of the policy process to assess what coordinated activities are most effective to achieve policy development. It was concluded that community based organizations can achieve policy development, if they identify an issue or problem, conduct some level of strategic planning, create a policy agenda, and seek access to decision makers. In all three case analyses, the hybrid organization, community action agency, and the voluntary member association were able to achieve policy development. This research does not focus on policy impact or evaluation. The goal was to ascertain how effective an organization can be at proposing a solution and receiving the attention of local decision makers. This research explores how organizational development can become the foundation for advocating for issues and achieve policy development. Community based organizations are not only government funded service providers, but also community collaborators and educators who stimulate citizen participation and increase public awareness about social issues. Their role as autonomous service providers puts them in a conundrum because of their funding streams. Since the 1950s, researchers have explored the roles and responsibilities of government-funded service providers. This study provides an overview of the roles of community based organizations and activities that define their political participation. It explores how these organizations mitigate issues to ensure overall community success.