Analysis/Opinion
Today’s youth face many challenges on a daily basis in school. Peer pressure, bullying, drugs, sex, family issues, the effects of socioeconomic status, cognitive disabilities, lack of interest and poor social skills are just some of the factors that affect their social and academic lives. These factors are often distracting and ultimately affect students’ focus, motivation and purpose in receiving an education.
The middle school years are some of the most impressionable for youth. It is during this time that they begin to experiment with smoking, drinking, sex, drugs and other dangerous behavior. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported in 2013 that 7 percent of 8th graders used marijuana, 5.3 percent used inhalants, cocaine or crack cocaine and 3.5 percent used alcohol. This type of behavior can be attributed to a variety of factors, including peer pressure, a need for belonging, or escape from issues at home and low self-esteem.
Bullying and other antisocial behaviors tend to peak in the middle school years as well. This issue has been on the rise with the increase of cyberbullying, using social media networks and texting to intimidate and threaten peers. Youth who are being bullied are prone to have low self-esteem, use alcohol or drugs, skip school, become suicidal and become bullies themselves — all of which increase levels of stress, which results in students having difficulty in the school environment, both socially and academically.
High school becomes a time when some youth have increased usage of drugs and alcohol. They also carry with them all the other challenges they experienced in middle school. These challenges have led to increased dropout rates, teen pregnancy, even suicide. It is also during these years that youth are finding their identities and long for that sense of acceptance from their peers. Youth who don’t feel accepted by their peers have often displayed symptoms of depression, a decline in their grades, lack of social relationships and interactions, disengagement from school activities and potential behavioral problems.
Today’s youth of are often left to carry the burdens they experience at home and in the community into the school with them on a daily basis. These issues can quite often deflect their focus from their academics and cause behavioral issues in school. One of the major challenges that youth carry into school with them is hunger. According to the No Kid Hungry organization, as of August, 2013, 3 out of 5 students come to school hungry on a regular basis. Lack of proper nutrition is linked to poor brain development, inattentiveness in class and fatigue. Another challenge students experience during these teenage years is hormonal change and the sexual curiosity and heightened sexual drive it brings with it. With these increased hormone levels and the conception of being adults, many middle school students and high school students begin to engage in sexual acts and behaviors.
Research shows that a large number of teenagers have already had their first sexual encounter by the time enter high school they. Some of these encounters are directly related to peer pressure and social acceptance. Many students, male and female alike, become sexually active in middle school to avoid being teased by their peers and to obtain their approval and acceptance. This can also backfire, however, as students, mainly females, may acquire negative reputations for these actions. Conversely, other students, mainly males, may receive praise and acceptance for these actions.
While schools and society have surely changed over the years, some things still remain the same — youth will be youth. With the already conflicting issues of being an adolescent and experiencing the confusing and troubling changes of puberty, the growing pressures of being a teenager and the search for one’s identity can be extremely difficult to manage. In having positive supports like a strong group of friends, good relationships with parents, supportive teachers and school officials, organized activities and other healthy outlets, the stressors and pressures of teenage life can be a little easier to handle, which could promote more academic success for our youth.
Ramon G. Griffin is a school administrator at a charter school in Washington, D.C.
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