Humanities & Society

“Faith in Schools?” is focus of new book by WUSTL’s Ian MacMullen.Arguing that democratic principles do not support a strict separation of church and state in educational policy, a new book contends that government has both the responsibility to pay for religious schools and the right to regulate what’s taught within them.

For college students, the winter break can be a welcome time off. Classes are over, finals are finished and it’s a time to spend with family and friends. But, says a practicing psychologist at Washington University in St. Louis, the break between semesters can also be a very stressful time for students.

As the holidays approach, toy store shelves are stocked with toys that make noise. While toys with sound may be appealing to children, William Clark, Ph.D., director of audiology and communication sciences at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, cautions parents to be careful in choosing such toys.

Psychiatry researchers at the School of Medicine have found that a clinical diagnosis of alcohol dependence in young adults is associated with having a high number of sex partners. Their study, published in the December issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, also found links between a conduct disorder diagnosis and high numbers of sexual partners as well as between problem drinking and more partners.

Early childhood education advocates have a new weapon at their disposal. Recent research by an economics professor at Washington University in St. Louis provides evidence that preprimary education leads to more years spent in school based on the experience of children from relatively disadvantaged households in Uruguay.

John C. (Jack) Danforth, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations since July 1, will deliver a major policy address that will focus on his vision of the United Nations’ role in working to resolve international crises. He will speak at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, in Graham Chapel at Washington University in St. Louis. The event is open only to the Washington University community, including students, faculty, staff and alumni.

The cowpox virus, a much milder cousin of the deadly smallpox virus, can keep infected host cells from warning the immune system that they have been compromised, researchers at the School of Medicine have found. The scientists also showed that more virulent poxviruses, such as the strains of monkeypox prevalent in Central Africa, likely have the same ability.

AuslanderReports in pediatric clinics across the country indicate dramatic increases in type 2 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents, particularly among minority populations. According to the CDC, youths with type 2 diabetes have poorer glycemic control, and may therefore be at higher risk for disease-related complications. “We know very little about the psychosocial and family problems and barriers to diabetes management among adolescents with type 2 diabetes,” says Wendy Auslander, Ph.D., professor of social work at Washington University in St. Louis. She is conducting a first of its kind study to identify these issues.

“Maltreatment in childhood is a global issue,” says Melissa Jonson-Reid, Ph.D., a child welfare expert and a professor of social work at Washington University in St. Louis. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, in the U.S. there are about 3 million reports of abuse or neglect each year, and about 60 percent of such reports are deemed to meet states’ criteria for investigation or assessment. Jonson-Reid offers ways to get involved in protecting children from mistreatment.

David Kilper/WUSTL PhotoA math problem review session at the Kumon-Ladue math program on Clayton Road in Ladue.Parents of school-aged children might want to think of giving their children an enduring holiday gift this year: enrollment in a supplemental mathematics program. While it can cost anywhere from $80 to $110 a month, the results of practicing mathematics nearly daily is rewarding to both students and parents. In fact, parents might be even bigger recipients of this gift than their children. While their children gain self-esteem and confidence, the parents very likely will feel a sense of relief and pride in their children’s accomplishment.