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Behavior Problems Hurt Teachers, Students

Deb McCown
The Washington Times, May 12, 2004

This front-page story in The Washington Times reported on the Public Agenda poll "Teaching Interrupted," which was commissioned by Common Good. The Times summarizes Public Agenda's conclusion that "unruly behavior in middle and high schools is a serious and pervasive problem that drives out teachers and undermines students' academic achievement."

Both teachers and parents attribute the discipline problem to parents' failure "to teach their kids discipline," to broad trends in society, to overcrowding, and to parents who "challenge school-discipline decisions."

Julie Underwood, general counsel for the National School Boards Association, told the Times, "The insertion of litigation and lawyers into the process . . . makes the stakes a little higher, makes the bill a little higher and slows the process down."

Click here to read the full article.

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Printed from http://www.cgood.org/