And reweaving that safety net of caring and respect for all our youths is everyone's responsibility. You know, kids can be really mean to each other, really cruel. It is that their schools are uncaring places where lack of respect is the norm. In the past, parents, extended family, dedicated teachers, and other adult mentors have often ameliorated damage done by indifferent teachers and mean-spirited students. Much less so today.
Most adults are too preoccupied with their own frenetic lives to notice.
Or worse, they assume that it is normal for adolescents to be cruel to one another and may even join in the derision. Two important studies document the problem of adolescent isolation and adult indifference and disrespect. The study went on to report the small amount of time adolescents spent with adults. Time spent exclusively with parents was less than 5 percent, and rarely did teenagers report talking personally with a teacher. To rebuild community in schools, educators must be held accountable for more than just test scores.