Peer groups are powerful things and can challenge values and behaviors. Don't use them as go-betweens. Do your own communicating with teachers, secretaries and others. Don't take much at face value. Schools are rampant rumor mills.
Kids love to gossip and embellish.
Check it out. Go to the source. An educator for more than twenty-five years he has taught Geography, History and Psychology to high school students and curriculum and methodology courses at the university level. He is a co-author, editor and contributing consultant for several successful textbooks in History, Geography, and Economics. Along with colleagues in his school district, he developed extensive curriculum materials in the field of Social Studies.