Showing politeness and respect was the order of the day. And if you stayed home from school, it was with good reason. Things are different today. Students often leave home in the morning without seeing mom or dad. In many cases, both parents are working, often in shifts, as they struggle to keep the family's finances afloat.
Some students live on their own as a result of dysfunctional family situations.
Others live with peers in unstructured, unguided environments. Each day, as students face teen pregnancies, criminal charges, family crises, substance abuse, school violence and countless other difficulties, teachers do their best to help them cope. In school itself, things are far from simple. Due to major changes in the Public School Program, today's high school students are routinely given a bewildering number of course choices. In several high schools, more than 100 courses are now offered.