Social Issues faced by Students in School: 14 Frightening Issues!

Social problems occupy a major portion of students life in schools. Some interesting social issues faced by students in school are as follows:

1. Bullying (including cyberbullying)
2. Drugs and substance abuse
3. Racism
4. Poverty and homelessness
5. Immigration
6. Vandalism
7. Child abuse
8. Suicide
9. Dropouts
10. Teen pregnancy
11. Expectations from parents and teachers
12. Identity crisis of adolescence
13. Religion
14. LGBT (LesbianGayBiSexual) rights

In this article, we’ll discuss all these social issues faced by students in school in detail.

Why social factors are important for students in school?

The overall development of a child involves a lot of factors and structures. Urie Bronfenbrenner – An American psychologist talked about five different systems that revolve around a child’s development. School life comes within the primary system. Parents, teachers, peers and other immediate relationships also come within this system.

When in school, students have to deal with many social issues. Let us discuss these issues one by one!

1. Bullying (including cyberbullying)

Bullying is simply a form of aggression that is repeated over and over again. Common aggression is different from bullying. Common aggression occurs seldom and among children of same strength. But bullying is completely different – with one party being bullied and the weak.

Bullying usually starts in later years of school and extends till adolescent years. Most of the times, the bullying incidents do not occur within classes. Instead, they occur at casual places like cafeterias, hallways, washrooms, etc. Cyberbullying has aroused as a new form of bullying. In cyberbullying, bullies use social media platforms and other technology-related options to bully.

Teachers need to educate students against school bullying. Law makers, education system and officials must also step forward to take immediate actions, especially against cyberbullying. Parents should also remain aware of any changes that the child may exhibit.

2. Drugs and substance abuse

A wide variety of drugs come under the umbrella of substance abuse among the adolescents. Smoking, alcohol, narcotics, prescriptive drugs, sedatives and diet pills are some of the major examples. Even inhalants like paints, petrol and markers are also such substances.

Students get easily influenced by the media and follow the hypes of drugs. Similarly, peer pressure also leads towards substance abuse and drug consumption. If a parent or any other family member is an addict, the chances for the child also increases. Sometimes, they start drug abuse to relieve academic or general life stress.

Teachers need to teach students and educate students. They also need to identify the cues that point towards potential substance abuse. Adolescents who engage in violence tend to be addicts as well.

3. Racism

Racism is a social issue that is present against minority backgrounds. Even adults are not safe from this aspect. It has become quite common to attach specific societal values to different races. Minority races follow a disadvantageous path in this regard. Sometimes even the basic rights are not given to them at all.

Same goes for the school settings! Minority students are almost always bullied and denied equal education. They cannot participate in many of the school activities. A general atmosphere of hatred and prejudice prevails against them. Teachers play a critical role in such cases. Firstly, they can encourage an overall equality in a school system. Secondly, they can work with individual students to sort out any problems.

Last but not the least, parents play the most crucial role. Children learn from their parents first of all. Therefore, if parents are racists, children will also behave similarly. Hence, parents need to change their approaches towards minority backgrounds. Only then will the children change.

4. Poverty and homelessness

Poverty and homelessness are two major social issues faced by students in school. Poor children lack in socioeconomic status, income level, quality food, quality sleep, quality medical facilities and other basic life necessities as well. As a result, they barely pay much attention towards their academics. Similarly, such children cannot pay for trips and other activities.

Just as poverty, homelessness also creates additional burden on the parents of the students. Since their finances are spent on rents and other things, they cannot provide for the academic expenses of their children. Resultantly, the students feel inferior to their peers. The government, community workers and teachers need to play their perspective roles in helping such students.

5. Immigration

Just as with racism, immigration is also a leading cause of disturbance for adolescents. Most of the times, the immigrant kids are not welcomed wholeheartedly. Local children discriminate against them. They do not make friends with them.

Again educators and families need to play active roles in changing the mindsets of local children. Families of immigrant students also need to be actively involved in the school life of their children. This is especially important in the beginning of the school for a new student.

6. Vandalism

Gangs is a common term in a classroom these days. Some children have similar mindsets and tendencies. They group together and form gangs. Things remain fine as long as these gangs work positively. However, when the gangs involve in violence, a social problem arises.

School vandalism involves activities that damage the property of the school like a classroom. Sometimes, it goes further and puts other students in danger as well. For example, gangs work together and write in books of other adolescents. They also damage or write on the desks of others. Even in the most advanced and developed countries of the world, this social problem exists.

Parents, families, teachers, counselors, school psychologists and community workers need to work together to overcome these challenges. Parents need to keep a close eye on the friends and peers of their children.

7. Child abuse

A kid who faces abuse in the house no longer remains a strong individual. Abuse is quite common in many families. It takes the form of verbal abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse and others as well. Things get worse when parents and families do not work willingly with the educators to help the students.

8. Suicide

Different causes lead to the eventual act of suicide by the adolescents. They can be academic as well as non-academic. Sometimes, the classroom bullying becomes so aggressive and uncontrollable that the victim commits suicide. At other times, the academic results are so worse that the student opt for suicide. Disproportionate opportunities also cause suicide.

There are different warning signs that need to be kept under consideration. These signs help in identifying children who have suicidal tendencies:

• Expressing aggressive and violent behavior.
• Increased interest in talking about death and dying.
• Substance abuse and eating disorders.
• Sudden and inconsistent mood changes.
• Very low academic performance.
• Increased engagement in risky behaviors.
• Withdrawal symptoms.

9. Dropouts

There are countless students who leave their studies midway. Sometimes family financially becomes weak while at other times parents may become the reason for dropout. In fact, dysfunctional families lie at the core of school dropouts in a vast majority of cases.

Due to incomplete education, such students face difficulties in their practical lives as well. They do not have many employment options. Their overall personal and social lives are harmed as well.

10. Teen pregnancy

Adolescents usually do not have any factual knowledge related to sex and pregnancy. Parents seldom talk with their adolescents on such topics. Additionally, the media (both print and electronic) bombards sex- related images and videos on the immature minds of adolescents.

All these lead to unplanned and sudden pregnancies during the teenage group of the population. Teen mothers form the group that suffers the most. They cannot complete their studies mostly. Dropout is the only option left for them. Incomplete education further leads to societal and financial issues for them. The cases become worse if they have to care for their babies as well.

It is crucial that proper introduction and age-appropriate information about sex and pregnancy should be given by the education system. Sex is a natural phenomenon. It should not be made taboo to talk about it. Parents need to understand their adolescents. In this way, they won’t be affected by the outsiders’ information. Parent teacher conferences also play important roles.

11. Expectations from parents and teachers

Parents and teachers always develop certain expectations from the students. In fact, when students set some targets and goals then their achievement motivation is also increased. However, unrealistic expectations make things worse. Parents want their children to accomplish what they couldn’t. Sometimes the parenting styles tend to be difficult for the adolescents.

Similarly, school systems wish to attain maximum outputs from each and every student. Some can meet those goals, but not everyone. These affect students and their academic achievement. This is what teachers should remain aware of. It is important that teachers and parents discuss things with students from time to time. Both public schools and private schools should follow this.

12. Identity crises of adolescence

According to the stages of psychosocial development given by Erik Erikson, adolescence is the developmental stage where identity crisis occurs. High school students have to develop their own personal identity within the society. They need answer for the question; “Who am I?” Adolescents explore different possibilities and see what is good for them.

If this stage is resolved smoothly, adolescents develop an identity for them. However, if unresolved, this stage ends up in role confusion or identity crisis. This is something that affects the entire upcoming life of the student. Parents and teachers need to support the adolescents during this stage. Forcing their ideal identities on them lead to difficulties for them like low self esteem.

13. Religion

People from different ethnic and religious backgrounds work and communicate with each other on regular basis like minority and non minority backgrounds. Education sector also welcomes students from different religions. Resultantly, you can see children following different religions in a school today.

As long as everyone respects and accepts each other’s religious orientations, things go on smoothly. However, sometimes certain religions are not welcomed by the students and even teachers. This creates a lot of social problems.

14. LGBT (LesbianGayBiSexual) rights

21st century has witnessed a lot of dramatic changes in different aspects of human life. Sexual orientation is also one of such drastic changes. Lesbian, Gays, Bisexuals are quite common words in different parts of the world these days. Adolescents who follow any such unique sexual orientation tend to feel endangered. Therefore, they indulge in asking for equal opportunity and their basic human rights.

This can create problems in the school performance and extracurricular activities of the adolescents as well. It is the duty of the government and school authorities to overcome this social issue on immediate basis.

Conclusion!!!

All in all, there are different social issues faced by students in school life. If we want to have our children’s future secure, we need to play our respective roles. This is the only way in which we can help our children. This will also benefit the society as a whole.

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