Embarrassed, I wondered aloud why she would say that. Because you don't yell at us like a lot of the other teachers. Les Radke's students are a diverse group. They or their parents come from such countries as Nicaragua, Mexico, Vietnam, South Africa, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Adult role models are lacking.
Fathers are often absent from their families.
Many parents leave the country for Mexico or Central America for long periods of time, giving students the choice of disrupting their education or trying to survive on their own. This is not the problem of self-esteem Doonesbury cartoons make light of in discussing California. This is a lack of self-esteem tied to the struggle to survive. When these students intersect with the world of technology, it's sometimes enough to drive them to virtual reality. This is perhaps not a bad reaction for someone who dreams of having a career in football but, finding no role models in the sport, chooses not to pursue that dream.