Education involves general life skills as well as more basic skills such as English,
math and science. In the words of a mother of a 10th grade girl when asked what
America's teachers can do to help her child succeed, "reward them for being a good
student and a good citizen . . ." How well are schools doing in preparing students in
being good citizens? One-third of secondary school students (36%) and four in ten
parents (38%) give their schools a "C" or lower in this area (Exhibit 6.2). Secondary
school teachers rate their school slightly better, with three in ten (31%) assigning a
"C" or lower.
Exhibit 6.2
Being a Good Citizen
Q430 How would you grade your teachers in preparing you in the following areas? - In being
a good citizen?
Q.532/Q512 How would you grade the quality of education in [your child's/your] school in
preparing your [child/students] in the following areas? - In being a good citizen?
Report Card
"Being a Good Citizen"
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
School
School
School
Students
Parents
Teachers
1067
855
1010
%
%
%
A or B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
C or Lower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
D or F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
No Answer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
*School Respondents Only
Students' Community Involvement
Do secondary school students do things to help out their neighbors and their com-
munity? Most parents think so. Two-thirds of secondary school parents (67%) say
that their child does things to help out their neighbors and six in ten (61%) say that
their child does things to help out their community (Exhibits 6.3 - 6.4). However,
according to students themselves, only half do things to help out their neighbors
(50%) and their community (48%). From teachers' perspectives even fewer students
are participating in this type of service. Teachers report that 38% of their students
do things to help out their neighbors and 36% do things to help out their
community.
66
