Outline and explain some of the problems found in elementary and secondary schools in the United States

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

1 . School discipline and teaching styles—sociologists acknowledge that it is very difficult for teachers and school administrators to handle the wide array of discipline problems that occur in many contemporary school districts.

A study conducted by the California Department of Education compared school discipline problems of the 1940s with problems in the 1990s. Although schools in the past used corporal punishment to discipline errant students, most states now prohibit the use of corporal punishment. Some school districts also prohibit disciplinary actions such as keeping children in during recess or expelling them from class. Maintaining classroom order and discipline is often a more difficult task for those who teach students whose family background and life experiences are vastly different from their own. Teaching and disciplinary styles may differ across racial and ethnic lines as well. Most studies on this issue have focused on the styles of white and African American teachers. According to one study, many white teachers try to ignore racial and ethnic differences in their students.

2 . Bullying, teasing, and sexual harassment—in schools throughout the United States, both boys and girls report that they have experienced harassment, bullying, and teasing from their classmates.

3 . School violence—violence and fear of violence continue to be problems in schools throughout the United States. In the 1990s, violent acts resulted in numerous deaths in schools across the nation. Throughout the nation, there has been a call for greater school security. However, many education analysts believe that technology and increased law enforcement should not be the primary tools for achieving school discipline and ending violence and crime on school campuses.

4 . Dropping out—although there has been a decrease in the overall school dropout rate over the past two decades, about 10 percent of people between the ages of fourteen and twenty-four have left school before earning a high school diploma. However, ethnic and class differences are significant in dropout rates. For example, Latino/as (Hispanics) have the highest dropout rate (21.1 percent). The most common reasons for dropping out of school included lack of interest in school, serious personal problems, serious family problems, poor grades, and alcohol and/or drug problems.