August 1976
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4 Citations
The purpose of this book is to describe changes in school-community interaction and to suggest appropriate responses by educators in general, and administrators in particular. School community relations are adversely affected by an organizational phenomenon--bureaucracy--and by psychological factors of educators--attitudes, opinions, interests. Because these define major barriers to favorable community relations, each is considered in some detail. Attempts to overcome various barriers have caused some parents to create groups; other to seek the help of existing groups. Pressure groups and interest groups of all types are considered here. Individuals and pressure groups seek to secure power to influence decision makers. Several ways of attempting to identify the power persons or groups in a community are reviewed. Several specific areas of community relations are then considered. This is followed by suggestions of how to discover and apply local community resources to educational problems. The ways in which educators communicate with communities are examined. Some of the reactions of the schools to current pressure are studied. Finally, new ways of involving communities and citizens in the business of their schools without destroying essential prerogatives of educators are considered. (Author/JM)