In Search of More Fertile Battlegrounds

Once upon a time, William D. Wallace, director of Harvard's health careers program, was a member of the prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

But this week that changed. At a conference in Denver, the AAAS elected 178 scientists to honorary "fellow" status. One of them was Arthur Jensen, a controversial University of California psychologist who has claimed blacks are genetically inferior to whites in certain areas of mental ability.

Angrily calling a press conference, Wallace, who is black, said Jensen's election was "an endorsement of racism," and resigned from the association in protest.

Jensen said Thursday he is not a racist and has not written anything that should give anyone that idea.

William D. Carey, AAAS executive director, said this week he feels "deepest regret" over Wallace's resignation but could do little about it.

Wallace said he preferred to resign than to stay and battle Jensen's ideas because he has "found more fertile grounds to fight in."