It's no coincidence a best-selling book that contends African-Americans are less intelligent than whites has become popular just as Republicans have won control of Congress, some local scholars say.
"The Bell Curve," they charge, was written to boost support for conservatives in the public policy debate over social programs.
The book, written by Charles Murray and the late Richard Herrnstein, has been widely criticized for its claim that intelligence is a largely inherited trait. But defenders say the book is a valid scientific study that should be viewed as a call for more research about human intelligence.
Not so, says Dr. Samuel L. Banks, executive director of Baltimore city schools' Division of Compensatory Education. He calls the book "an unconscionable, lamentable and racist socio-racial and political tract masquerading as an academic-intellectual tome." Dr. Gossie Harold Hudson, professor of history at Morgan State University, added, "There is a long and discredited tradition of racists trying to cloak their prejudice in pseudo-science."
The educators were among six speakers who addressed about 100 people in a public forum on "The Bell Curve" last week at Morgan State. Five were black, one white.
All agreed that Mr. Herrnstein, who was a Harvard psychology professor, and Mr. Murray, a sociologist at the American Enterprise Institute and Frederick County resident, had motives other than scholarship in mind when they wrote the book.
Dr. Frank L. Morris, dean of graduate studies at Morgan State, said "The Bell Curve" was not written for other scholars of genetics or intelligence testing.
"This book was meant for the conservative public policy environment in Washington. This is going to be the Republican ** agenda," he said. "They argue against equality of opportunity. If any one kind of intervention is not successful, they dismiss them all."
Mr. Morris said the book contends improved schools won't improve IQ and that the Head Start program isn't worthwhile because its gains are not sustained after four years. He said the book also suggests racial segregation had nothing to do with the housing patterns of people who may have higher IQs.
"We must in the marketplace of ideas and in the voting booths of our nation work more assiduously to prevent 'The Bell Curve' from becoming part of the legislative agenda of elected officials and policy-makers," Mr. Banks said.
Asked about the comments made at Morgan State, Dr. Robert A. Gordon, a Johns Hopkins University sociology professor, said he didn't think it was wrong for the authors of the "The Bell Curve" to have their book used in setting public policy.
"I don't think it's inappropriate for any person to enter the public policy debate in an informed democracy," Mr. Gordon said.
Mr. Gordon said that had he written "The Bell Curve," he probably would not have included public policy suggestions in the same volume as scientific data. "That is not to say I wouldn't have opinions or wouldn't have later entered into the public policy debate."
Dr. Joseph H. Durham, professor of education at Morgan State, said "The Bell Curve" did contain some truth. "The danger is that some of those true things will be misinterpreted and will therefore be the basis for the misapplication of certain policy implications, especially for blacks."
Dr. Paul D. McElroy, professor of educational administration at Morgan, said the book was not only racist but also classist. "All the problems of America are blamed on the lower socio-economic classes. Crime is blamed on this, poverty is blamed on this, welfare is blamed on this, family problems are blamed on this. It's preposterous."
Dr. Herman Brown, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of the District of Columbia, said "The Bell Curve" would be a "footnote in the history of pseudo-science."
He said the book measured abstract intelligence, but human beings have more than one type of intelligence. "I always call a plumber because when something requires mechanical intelligence, I can't fix it."