SCHOOLS AND DELINQUENCY
Relationship between school and delinquency
1. schools are responsible for educating virtually everyone
2. much of an adolescent's time is spent in school
3. numerous studies link delinquency and academic achievement
 | Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. |
| Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. |
| Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. |
| Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. |
| Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. |
| Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. |
| Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. |
| Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. |
| Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. |
| If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. |
| Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. |
| On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." |
| Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. |
Violence in Schools
3000 children die from gunfire off school grounds each year
in 1997 schools reported 40 shooting deaths
School discipline
Baker v. Owen - minimal due process required to administer corporal punishment
Ingraham v. Wright - reasonableness standard articulated
does not violate cruel and unusual punishment clause of Eighth Amendment
Goss v. Lopez - possible suspension up to ten days requires a hearing
Corporal punishment
illegal in every developed nation except, the United States, Canada, and one state in Australia
males are 51% of students, but receive 80% of corporal punishment
African-Americans and males receive the most
50% says that teachers should be allowed to use corporal punishment
the more children are spanked, the more anger they report as adults
School Crime
Ianni found that students having academic, community, and home difficulties are most often responsible for school crime
students and teachers are more likely to be victims of theft than they are to be victims of violence
Guns
in 1994, President Clinton signed an Executive Order requiring school districts to expel for al least one year any student who brings a gun to school
number one cause of death among children and teens is guns
Compulsory Education
most compulsory education laws require that students stay in school until they reach age 16
Wisconsin v. Yoder - Amish student removal from school after 8th grade allowed
Problems in School
Steinburg and Dornbush found that juveniles who worked more than 20 hours per week had lower grades and experimented more with drugs than those who did not work
a "stay in" problem is one in which students who are not interested in learning create problems rather than drop out
School Dropouts
about 7 percent leave school before the tenth grade
Jarjoura found that participating in delinquency after dropping out of school is related to the reasons why students quit school in the first place
"hidden drop out" shows dropping out of school is underreported
West Virginia juveniles who drop out of school are denied drivers license (current Texas law)
School Authority
most common penalty for first incident of fighting in schools is a three-day suspension
rules on smoking, drugs, toys, clothing...
Search and Seizure
sweep search is a search of all lockers in a given area of a school
Veronia School District 47J v. Acton
students who participate in school extracurricular activities must submit upon request to involuntary drug tests
Free speech
passive speech issues, not associated with the actual speaking of words
Tinker v. Des Moines - the wearing of black armbands, in protest of Vietnam War, upheld
a. child is entitled to free speech in school
b. material and substantial interference test
Free speech
Bethel School v. Fraser - pervasive sexual innuendoes interfere with school discipline
school has right to control offensive speech that undermines educational mission
Hazelwood School v. Kuhlmeier - censorship of student publications allowed
Theoretical Views
Schools and Delinquency
Expulsion and Suspension
Students may be expelled from school for violating a school rule and for having a specific health condition that may be transmitted through normal school contacts
Goss v. Lopez
if a student is to be suspended for 10 or more days, must receive a hearing
Expulsion
more rights