Common Myth-Common Myth-takes on takes on

Education Education Change, Part IChange, Part I

(puns definitely intended)(puns definitely intended)(multimedia for educational (multimedia for educational

purposes and used from purposes and used from public sources)public sources)

TopicsTopics

DeathsDeaths AgingAging Marriages & DivorceMarriages & Divorce LanguageLanguage

Mortality changesMortality changes

Declined broadly in last century. Measures:Declined broadly in last century. Measures: Infant mortality rateInfant mortality rate

Image from http://www.state.nj.us/health/bibs/education/1unsolved.html

Mortality changesMortality changes Declined broadly in last century. Measures:Declined broadly in last century. Measures:

Infant mortality rateInfant mortality rate Life expectancy (Life expectancy (not a predictive measurenot a predictive measure))

Image from http://www.co.missoula.mt.us/measures/health.htm; its source: Source: Healthy People 2010 http://www.health.gov/healthypeople/

Mortality changesMortality changes Causes described by studentsCauses described by students

Medical technology, in general or…Medical technology, in general or… AntibioticsAntibiotics Prenatal interventionsPrenatal interventions

Health care access and educationHealth care access and education General education or health-care knowledgeGeneral education or health-care knowledge Health care access, including prenatalHealth care access, including prenatal

NutritionNutrition HygieneHygiene Abortion policiesAbortion policies

Mortality changesMortality changes

Causes prominent in the literatureCauses prominent in the literature Public health measures (e.g., water Public health measures (e.g., water

supplies)supplies) Private behavior (e.g., hand-washing)Private behavior (e.g., hand-washing) Improved nutritionImproved nutrition Medical interventions (limited before Medical interventions (limited before

1940)1940)

AgingAging Consequence of lower mortality regime and Consequence of lower mortality regime and

lower fertility (lower fertility (except for the Baby Boom)except for the Baby Boom). .

Image from http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/erp/1997/chap3.htm

AgingAging

Population pyramids, USPopulation pyramids, US1950

1970

1990

2000Source:

http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idbpyr.html

Marriages and Marriages and DivorcesDivorces

Romeo/Juliet mythRomeo/Juliet myth

Shakespeare play, young marriageShakespeare play, young marriage Student responses when asked what Student responses when asked what

proportion of young women (20-24) proportion of young women (20-24) in late 19in late 19thth century U.S. would have century U.S. would have been married tend to cluster above been married tend to cluster above 70%.70%.

Romeo/Juliet myth incorrectRomeo/Juliet myth incorrect

John Hajnal, older marriage in John Hajnal, older marriage in medieval medieval EuropeEurope

Mary Louise Nagata, older marriage in Mary Louise Nagata, older marriage in 18th-19th-century Japan18th-19th-century Japan

In 1890 U.S. census, 48% of women 20-In 1890 U.S. census, 48% of women 20-24 had ever been married. (85% of 24 had ever been married. (85% of women 30-34).women 30-34).

In 1930, 54% of women 20-24 had ever In 1930, 54% of women 20-24 had ever been marriedbeen married

1960: 72%1960: 72% 1980: 50%1980: 50%

Further reading: Edward Kain, The Myth of Family Decline

DivorceDivorce Popular image: increases beginning in 60sPopular image: increases beginning in 60s

Divorce in the U.S., 1950-1990 (gross numbers)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Tho

usan

ds o

f D

ivor

ces

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau.

DivorceDivorce Reality, after correcting for period and Reality, after correcting for period and

proportionproportionDivorce in the U.S., 1940-90 (rates)

0

5

10

15

20

25

1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Div

orce

s pe

r th

ousa

nd m

arri

ed w

omen

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau.

LanguagesLanguages

Historical language use diverseHistorical language use diverse Diverse flow to North America from 17Diverse flow to North America from 17thth, ,

1818thth centuries centuries Immigration in 19Immigration in 19thth and early 20 and early 20thth century century

continued patterncontinued pattern Example: Texas, end of 19Example: Texas, end of 19thth century century

(Blanton)(Blanton) Student perceptions: Spanish, French, Student perceptions: Spanish, French,

German, Native American (variety), ChineseGerman, Native American (variety), Chinese Most common languages: Spanish, German, Most common languages: Spanish, German,

Polish, CzechPolish, Czech

LanguagesLanguages New immigration since 1965New immigration since 1965

After 41 years in closed-border policyAfter 41 years in closed-border policy Variety of continental originsVariety of continental origins Mix of status for national groups (Portes & Mix of status for national groups (Portes &

Rumbaut)Rumbaut) Geographic dispersionGeographic dispersion

Example: Florida, todayExample: Florida, today 2000 census: Spanish, French Creole, other 2000 census: Spanish, French Creole, other

French, German, Portuguese, Italian, TagalogFrench, German, Portuguese, Italian, Tagalog 2006-07 FDOE report: 2006-07 FDOE report: 221,979 English

Language Learners, with 69 languages (95% with Spanish, Haitian-Creole, Portuguese, Vietnamese, French, or Arabic)

Different Spanish dialects reflecting geographic Different Spanish dialects reflecting geographic origins (Lopez et al.)origins (Lopez et al.)

Consequential Consequential questions/perspectivesquestions/perspectives

Political discoursePolitical discourse Aging: Health care v. educationAging: Health care v. education Family structure: who is responsible for educationFamily structure: who is responsible for education Immigration and languages: assessment and Immigration and languages: assessment and

accountabilityaccountability Historical perspectivesHistorical perspectives

High proportion of population < 18 does not High proportion of population < 18 does not guarantee high attention to educationguarantee high attention to education

Arguments about changing family structures are Arguments about changing family structures are centuries oldcenturies old

Immigration debates centuries oldImmigration debates centuries old