(2015-08-10) Meyer, John W; Chase-Dunn, Chris; Inverarity, James
This reports a study of the extent of violence and disorder, drug use, vandalism and theft, and racial conflicts in high schools, and of attempts at social control. The authors analyzed two national surveys of school principals supplemented with interviews in the local area. They concluded that while numerous problems exist, schools have dealt with them, not primarily by surveillance and punishment but rather by redefining students from “children of the school” to “citizens of the community,” thus externalizing many of the problems of disorder and control.