NCJ Number
59616
Date Published
1977
Length
25 pages
Annotation
FACTORS IN THE AUSTRALIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM BELIEVED TO CONTRIBUTE TO TRUANCY ARE IDENTIFIED AND DISCUSSED, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR REFORM ARE OFFERED.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH TRUANCY IS COMMONLY REGARDED AS ONE MANIFESTATION OF DELINQUENCY, IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A SEPARATE PHENONMENON THAT OBSTRUCTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH, WITHOUT BEING SUBSUMED UNDER THE LABEL OF DELINQUENCY. DATA WERE DERIVED FROM INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED WITH 230 BRISBANE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. A MULTIFACTOR MODEL OF TRUANCY IS DESCRIBED, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION PAID TO THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL IN THE PREVENTION OF TRUANCY. THE DATA SUGGEST THAT TRUANCY IS SIGNIFICANTLY RELATED TO AN OVERTLY COMPETITIVE SCHOOL SYSTEM WHICH COMPARES STUDENTS IN THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRESS AND CONDUCTS A CURRICULUM THAT IS IRRELEVANT TO A CHILD'S FUTURE. COMPOUNDING THESE FACTORS IS THE LACK OF INTEREST SHOWN BY SOME TEACHERS IN A CHILD'S PERSONAL AND SOCIAL LIFE. STUDENTS UNABLE TO COPE WITH PRESSURE ARE PARTICULARLY PRONE TO TRUANCY. ALTHOUGH STUDIES ON THE SUBJECT STRESS THE NEED FOR MORE SCHOOL COUNSELORS OR WELFARE OFFICERS TO COMBAT TRUANCY, DATA INDICATE THAT PARENTS OFTEN REFUSE TO COOPERATE WITHIN A COUNSELING FORMAT. ONLY STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH TRUANCY. TRAINING SCHEMES TO SENSITIZE TEACHERS TO THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF LABELING, THE DEVELOPMENT OF CURRICULA MORE RELEVANT TO STUDENTS' CURRENT AND FUTURE EXPERIENCES, AND AN ALTERATION OF THE COMPETITIVE FORMAT AND ATMOSPHERE OF EDUCATION ARE SUGGESTED FOR IMPROVEMENT. FOR INSTANCE, INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS COULD BE RATED AND CHALLENGED WITH RESPECT TO THEIR OWN PAST PERFORMANCE RATHER THAN BY A FIXED STANDARD AGAINST WHICH ALL STUDENTS ARE MEASURED. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)