Filled with facts and figures, most articles have addressed these issues from an adult perspective. Today, personal frustration, failure, and fear are more likely to be contributing factors. Violence and fear Overwhelmingly, students at Newton High point to violence and racism in school as their primary concerns. Their fears closely parallel the concerns expressed by teens nationwide. According to a study by the American Psychological Association, teens are more than twice as likely as adults to be victims of violent crimes.
Young people are sensitive to the public's perception of their age group, they say.
They resent generalizations suggesting all teens cause trouble. However, teens themselves are subject to fear of their peers. Many admit being afraid, at times, of even going to school. The teachers and authorities don't do anything about it. Female students describe incidents in which they have been subjected to uncomfortable intimidation by other students.