Photoshop Elements :: Color Selection For Text And Shapes - Defaults To Shades Of Gray

When I select a color for text and shapes, the software defaults to shades of gray, although black and white are available.  I use the eyedropper to select red on the pallette, for example, and the red box is framed.  But the color sample on both the menu bar and the tool bar sets to gray.  Is there a swicth somewhere that inhibits red, green, blue, etc.?
 
I even reinstalled the program, thinking I had a glitch--no change.  The color selection had always worked in the past.