Family Crisis - Final Study Guide
For this last examination, you will need to be familiar with answers to
the following questions and concepts:
Economy and Family Crises
1. Explain the U.S. system of public assistance and entitlements, Taking
note of Robin William's definition of the Economy, particulary this one:
"Because of specialization of production, a highly developed monetary and
credit system, and other factors, the various segments of the economy are
closely interdependent; and changes in any one major portion of the system
have complex repercussions elsewhere".
2. Rephrase and explain the statement that "Property rights are in a state
of rapid change; and the facts are radically different from those envisaged
in popular ideologies and in certain important legal fictions."
**
3. According to the short articles by William P. O'Hare and Paula Mergenhagen
for American Demographics, Who are the poor in America and what do they
do with their money?
**4. Summarize the effects of poverty on children according to "Poor Children
in U.S. Increase to Six Million, Columbia University Record -- February
3, 1995 -- Vol. 20, No. 15" in your readings.
5. Summarize Witt's article on Family Violence (see the last paragraph
of the article).
Religion and Family Crises
1. What is the official government position on religion in the schools,
according to the first few pages of the notes?
2. There is the real world in which we all live, and there is the ideal
world we all would like to live in. Religion can help us close this gap
- and it can also serve to widen it. How can religion do this?
**
3. Summarize Why Religion Matters: The Impact of Religious Practice on
Social Stability" by Patrick F. Fagan and William H.G. FitzGerald (the
Heritage Foundation Backgrounder No. 1064 - January 25, 1996)
Education and Family Crises
1. Today, everything in a child's future hinges on education, which hinges
on support from the family, which hinges on parent's education, which hinged
on support from their respective families. What is there in the culture
that can interrupt this seemingly natural flow of events? What is there
that can hinder educational attainment?
**2. What is the relationship between family variables and educational performance,
according to the Rand Corporation's study?
3. How does the changing family indicate a boost for student test scores
between 1970-1990 according to the Rand Corp Study?
4. Project Director David W. Grissmer observes "These findings are like
a caution light at an intersection, warning us to go slow in dismissing
the large investments in public education, social programs, and equal opportunity
policies over the past twenty years as a waste of resources and a failure
of social policy." What findings was he talking about specifically?
**
5. Explain the Functions of Secondary Education, according to the notes?
6. Summarize the goals of Goals 2000.
Government and Family Crises
**
1. After reading the section of notes on Government and Family Crises,
what is, in your opinion, the role of government in reducing crime, supporting
the poor, and maintaining an adequate standard of living for all Americans.
Keep in mind the interdependence of all parts of our social system.
2. Why should the government/police concentrate their efforts on adolescent
boys? Cite the comparative data for this group and older males.
3. Drug related crimes are rampant in our society. What can parents do
to insure drug free kids, according to the notes?
Families in the 21st Century
1. Summarize Feminist thoughts on the family.
**5 points
2. What is the difference between the Real and the Ideal according to the
notes?
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