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According to the last thing written about race, by Murray, he was trying to show the futility of using certain statistical measures to measure the performance of teaching institutions in regards to racial differences in standardized testing. For example, if you say that you will modify your teaching strategies in order to equalize the average scores of different races on standardized tests, then one might never be satisfied, because statistically (I use them all the time, BTW, in my line of work as well), it can be demonstrated that there are "racial differences" in abilities. Of course, this depends on how you define "race", but as defined in most studies where racial differences are examined, it appears that you DO find differences that no amount of teaching can overcome. Those differences are in the TEST scores, get it? Not that some "Race" is "smarter" than others, but according to standardized testing, it can appear that way, so you will never be satisfied because these tests can always show a difference.

All that said, it is also apparent that I have a difficult time sometimes, making sense. Shows ya what good a 135 IQ is...

because statistically (I use them all the time, BTW, in my line of work as well), it can be demonstrated that there are "racial differences" in abilities.

I disagree. There are oftentimes difference in performance between groups, but innate ability is a different thing altogether. But you were correct in putting the word race in parentheses - those identified as "Black" are likely to be mostly European. I've been to Oxford (England, not Mississippi) and one would be very hard pressed (as in WRONG) to perceive differences in academic performance among the "races" (and the "black" and "brown" people there are decidedly less "European" than the minorities in the US).

Anyway, since the vast majority of Americans regardless of race, are woefully ignorant of basic principles of science and math and statistics, it isn't surprising that TBC could be heralded as legitimate science.

That being said, my old landlady taught public schools for years, and used IQ tests. She would often find that some kids could perform well (which does correlate with ability), but whose languange, attitude and demeanor would lead someone at first glance to judge their aptitude negatively. It is one handle that teachers have..