Racist and useless were the words SF State professors used to criticize the book "The Bell Curve" in a panel discussion Thursday called "For Whom the Bell Curves."
The book, a New York Times' best seller, has brought forth a new debate over the connection between intelligence and race. According to the book's jacket, the authors, Charles Murray and Richard Herrnstein, are "exploring the ways that low intelligence, independent of social, economic, or ethnic background, lies at the root of many of our social problems.
"The authors also demonstrate the truth of another taboo fact: that intelligence levels differ among ethnic groups." Murray and Herrnstein came to these conclusions after studying and interpreting other people's work.
Six professors from various departments participated in two panel discussions, "Visions of Race and Genetics," and "Politics of Science," to discuss some of the book's questionable findings.
During the discussions, criticism arose over the authors' finding that IQ and performance are connected and determined by heredity and their claim that Asians are the most intelligent race.
The book also said that since intelligence is inherited, money spent on social programs like welfare and Head Start is worthless.
Even if heredity played a part in intelligence, the environment also has a role and there is no way to eliminate that factor from intelligence tests, said biology Professor Michael Goldman.
The panel criticized the authors for not explaining what intelligence is.
"(The authors) say they do not need to define it," said black studies Professor Laura Head.
During the three-hour discussion, Head called the book "a piece of propaganda clothed in the skirt of science."
The book should be placed in the same category as other forms of racist attacks on immigrants, the war on crime and the suggestion to re-open orphanages, Head said.
Other attacks on the book came from the authors' blaming of the victim rather than the educational system that may have influenced a child, Head said.
Although Head has only browsed through the book, she has seen this kind of pseudo-science before.
In the 1920s, the United States gave intelligence tests to immigrants and when they failed they would deny citizenship to them, Head explained.
In an October National Public Radio interview, Murray said, "The facts (of the book) are not as scary as a lot of the misinformation out there. It is time to lay a lot of this stuff out on the table."
Political science Professor Rufus Browning said the book is dangerous because it looks like a real scientific study.
"(The book) is designed to reinforce people's biases," he said.
Journalism department Chair Erna Smith focused her criticism on the media's coverage of "The Bell Curve."
She said although there were a number of articles on the book, journalists only criticized Murray's and Herrnstein's suggestion that the government eliminate Head Start programs and other welfare policies.
She said she couldn't find any stories to support the book's claim that Asians are the smartest race.
"Race in the news media is seen as black and white, as if there's no one else," Smith said.
Dean of Faculty Affairs Gerald West said that in Larry P. vs. California the courts decided that all intelligence tests are racially biased and therefore can not be used in schools.
Since 1971 when the case was decided, no intelligence testing company has been able to prove their tests aren't racially biased, he said.