Public Agenda, with support from Common Good
May 2004
This report is based on surveys of teachers and parents, designed to provide a glimpse into the problem of violence and discipline in public schools. It lacks hard data but reveals ample cause for concern: half of teachers report that their school has an armed police guard stationed on the premises and a third report that teachers have quit their school because of student behavior problems. As for prescriptions, there are many. Common Good's mission is to curb frivolous lawsuits, so the authors make that pitch, which is backed by survey results showing that most teachers favor limiting the right of parents to sue schools or teachers over discipline, except in extreme cases. The logic is that teachers are afraid to discipline the worst offenders (usually just a handful of troublemakers), lest they face a parental backlash sans support from school administrators. For root causes, this report points to two: parents who fail to discipline their own children and the "disrespect everywhere in our culture." To get a copy for yourself, click here.
