Social Issues Affecting Students and Schools

For a very long time, education has been known to be the key to success and end of poverty. However, the journey to this key is full of barriers and obstacles. In this article, we introduce you to the social issues affecting students and schools in their pursuit of education. Most of the issues in the education system consist of some of the major problems affecting society today.

The school setting accommodates students from different societies, which tend to compete under different circumstances.  These social issues can lead to chronic absenteeism, suspensions, detentions, and expulsions, dropping out or quitting school, the development of criminal behaviours, and sometimes fatalities.

Here are some of the social issues students and collages schools go through

Ethnicity

The ethnic difference is dominant in a society where its members speak different languages and share opposing views on life. It happens that students from a specific ethnic group are all evaluated based on the learning performance of a member. Children are prone to developing low self-esteem when other classmates associate their educational performance with their customs or cultural traditions.

Gender inequality

All genders have an equal opportunity in education, but this is not the case in school. Gender inequality is a social issue that mostly affects female students. In some societies, there are few learning opportunities in schools for female students mainly because they are considered as inferior beings, thus limiting them to only home education.

Racism

Classroom racism is a problem in education, which is a mirror of what happens in the larger society. Students coming from minority group backgrounds get to go through racist comments from their classmates or teachers. This issue comes as a result of the difference in someone’s physical characteristics in which skin colour plays a bigger role.

Some students can also get their racist views from their parents and teachers. Racism tops the list of social issues affecting students and schools. You can get more information about this problem from free essay examples on social issues. Therefore, resolving this problem requires participation from all shareholders in the education sector including their tutors, parents at home, and education support professionals.

Unequal opportunity

Learning in a school that accepts students from different cultural and economic backgrounds comes with its challenges. The financial position of the parents is the reason why some students drop out of school. Some of the services in schools are offered based on the cultural affiliation and income level of the students. Some of the students come from immigrant families.

There is less equality when students have the freedom of wearing the type of clothes that they want, and some allow students to carry phones in school.  Educational experts advise that inequality can be solved by offering all students equal opportunities.

Negative peer pressure

Negative peer pressure in school is the leading cause of student substance abuse and developing criminal behaviours. There are cases of student gangs in school, most of which are involved in fights and victimizing other students. The use of alcohol and illicit drugs withdraws the interest of education from the student and may eventually lead them to drop out of school.

Bullying

Bulling is considered a social issue because it affects society, and its influence goes beyond individual control. This form of aggression is usually directed to victims of inferior features in school, workplaces, and social relationships. School or student bullying can have devastating effects. Students who have developed such aggressive behaviours should be isolated from the vulnerable.

Crime

Schools are no longer safe due to criminal activities and gun violence. The US is leading in school shootings all over the world. This problem is believed to have originated from negative stress leading to other mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Ending these troubling emotions in students requires that they see psychologists or counsellors.

Wrapping up

Social issues in collage schools will end when educators work together with teachers and parents to provide applicable solutions for these problems.  The initiative can make use of the latest technology and training to determine what’s best for the student. Schools should increase more supervision and surveillance to react immediately to these cases as they arise.