NCJ Number
53305
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
A STUDENTS' RIGHTS PROJECT INITIATED BY DELINQUENT YOUTHS AT SOQUEL HIGH SCHOOL (SANTA CRUZ, CALIF.) RESULTED IN DEVELOPMENT OF A STUDENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS BASED ON ANALYSIS OF CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND SCHOOL REGULATIONS.
Abstract
A CLASS OF DELINQUENT STUDENTS WERE ENCOURAGED TO VOICE THEIR FRUSTRATIONS AND ANGER AT THE SCHOOL AND SCHOOL POLICY DURING A CIVICS CLASS AND THEN WERE DIRECTED TO STUDY THE U.S. CONSTITUTION TO DETERMINE THE DISPARITY BETWEEN THEIR GUARANTEED CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND THE RIGHTS THEY WERE ALLOWED IN SCHOOL. INTEREST GENERATED IN THIS CLASS LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STUDENTS' RIGHTS PROJECT, IN WHICH THIS CLASS DREW UP A BILL OF RIGHTS AND DISCUSSED IT WITH OTHER STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. THESE STUDENTS EVIDENCED AN IMPROVEMENT IN SCHOOL INTEREST AND APPLICATION. AFTER THESE DELINQUENT STUDENTS LEFT THE SCHOOL, HOWEVER, INTEREST IN THE PROJECT DECLINED, APPARENTLY DUE TO INADEQUATE FOLLOWTHROUGH OF THE STUDENTS' RIGHT MOVEMENT, CONFLICTS WITH THE STATUS QUO, LACK OF MECHANISMS FOR CONTINUING THE INVOLVEMENT, AND INADEQUATE SCHOOL-COMMUNITY LINKAGES. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES AGAINST MASSIVE ALIENATION AND APATHY IN SCHOOLS MUST INVOLVE BASICALLY STUDENT PARTICIPATION AND DECISIONMAKING. SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS COULD INCLUDE CONSTRUCTION OF A STUDENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS, INTERN PROGRAMS IN GOVERNMENT AGENCIES OR COMMUNITY SERVICE GROUPS, AND PROJECTS ORGANIZED AROUND CULTURAL HOLIDAYS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)