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Students Feel Safe in School, Study Says

Posted on: Tuesday, 11 April 2006, 09:00 CDT

By Tracy Dell'Angela, Chicago Tribune

A national study of urban school culture and safety revealed that most Chicago students feel safe at school, but they have mixed feelings about whether their teachers are fair and can protect them from bullies, officials announced Monday.

The study by the Council of Urban Boards of Education was designed to offer a snapshot of how students in 4th through 12th grades view issues of bullying, trust, racial perception and relationships. The survey reflected feedback from 108 schools in 13 states, including a sample of about 1,500 students from six Chicago public schools.

Chicago school officials acknowledged that the results do not necessarily reflect broader concerns about violence in some of Chicago's roughest schools. Spokesman Mike Vaughn said the six schools surveyed are recognized as "exceptionally well run," with strong principals, active parent involvement and higher than average academic achievement. They include Edgebrook, Carson, Black Magnet, Kellogg, Albany Park Multicultural Academy and Bronzeville Military Academy.

The Chicago data did not include responses by race, but the national data revealed sharp divisions about the way students from different racial groups feel about their teachers and how they are perceived at their school. The author of the study, Southern Connecticut State University professor Brian Perkins, said the racial differences are the most surprising and can be instructive for schools who want to fix some of the more insidious factors affecting school climate.

African-American students are most likely to feel that teachers are not fair and do not respect them, according to the study. Latino students are the most likely to report trusting, respectful relationships, with about two-thirds saying their teachers are respectful and care about their success.

African-American students are twice as likely to agree th1at children of other races do better in school--16 percent compared with 7 percent of white children. But only 7 percent of students said they wished they were another race, and 10 percent were not sure.

African-Americans were the least likely to say they wished they were another race, and Asian students expressed the most uncertainty.

Overall, among Chicago students, nearly 73 percent enjoy learning and feel safe at their schools, compared with about 63 percent nationwide.

The findings were presented Monday at the National School Boards Association's annual meeting in Chicago.

tdell'angela@tribune.com

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Copyright (c) 2006, Chicago Tribune

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