1. 80’s Social Concerns

2. Urban Crisis  high unemployment  bad infrastructure  inadequate funds for sanitation and health services  Deteriorating schools  Growing divide between wealthy and poor  LA Riots after beating of Rodney King Rodney King Tape

3. Minority Groups African Americans - greater political profile -Jesse Jackson runs for president Latin Americans -9% of population and growing -issues of bilingual education

4. Minority Groups (cont.)  Native Americans -ancestral lands returned - Reagan slashed aid to Native Americans  opened up casinos

5. Women  Unable to get Equal Rights Amendment ratified  Geraldine Ferraro-1 st female VP candidate  Sandra Day O’Connor-1 st female justice on the Supreme Court  Earn 75 cents for every $1 men make  Pay Equity: pay rates based on job requirements (amt. of education, experience, physical strength, etc.)  in 20 states by 1989  Family benefits questioned-should a man be able to get time off to stay with newborn?

6. Abortion  Roe v. Wade of 1973  Pro-Life v. Pro-choice  Webster v. Reproductive Health Care Services: states have right to impose restrictions on abortion

7. Gay Rights  Setback due to AIDS crisis  More activist groups promoting anti-gay discrimination rise by the end of the decade

8. Health Issues  AIDS: virus that destroys immune system and weakens body via the sharing of bodily fluids  Homosexual men, needle sharing, contaminated blood transfusions, infected mothers giving it to child

9. Drug Abuse  Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No!” Campaign  Should U.S. legalize certain drugs?  Should we increase money spent on treatment facilities?

10. Education  A Nation at Risk: 23 million Americans cant follow instruction manual or fill out job application  More homework, longer days and year, increased pay for teachers