38 Introduction
overrepresentation of female and minority professors in my study is still stronger than
even the above comparison would indicate.^20 For this reason, I do not present aggre-
gate figures for the data set as a whole, because to the degree that professor race and/
or gender affects classroom dynamics, aggregate figures from this data set are likely
to be misleading. However, in Chapter 7, I provide profiles for classrooms of various
types to give a background for qualitative assessments of the impact of various char-
acteristics of the students, teachers, and overall classroom interactions on the teach-
ing in those classes. The study includes three classes from the elite/prestige categories
of law schools, two from regional schools, and three from local law schools.
table 3.1Student Race and Gender Distribution Comparison
of Study Sample with National AveragesNational Statistics on First-Year
Total Study Sample Law Students: 1990–91^1
Women 41.8% 42.6%
Men 58.2% 57.4%
African 6.2% 7.2%
American
Asian 6.1% 4.6%
American
Latino/a 2.7% 4.8%
American
Other* 0.8%
Total
Minority 15.9% 17.2%*Other includes Native American, Arab American, Pacific Islander students,
and otherwise not specified students of color.- American Bar Association, Review of Legal Education.
table 3.2Faculty Race and Gender Distribution Comparison
of Study Sample with National Averages
National Statistics: 1994^1Total Study Sample Full-time Full- and Part-timeWomen 37.5% 26.0% 35.3%
Men 62.5% 74.0% 64.7%
Minority 25.0% 12.0% 13.9%
Note an alternative statistic: in six of the top-tier schools, women taught fewer
than 20% of the first-year courses.^2- American Bar Association, Review of Legal Education.
- American Bar Association, Unfinished Business.