Education is usually considered a force for good, associated with hope and optimism about better individual and social futures. Yet a case can be made that education and education policy in recent decades, far from being a force for good, has had nefarious effects at multiple levels. This can be seen in the growing alienation of significant…

This report deals with the causes and consequences of alienation as they relate to educational institutions. Recommendations to combat the causes and ameliorate the consequences are offered. The causes of alienation are linked to academic failure, disruption of the relations between school and the community-family support systems, and…

This paper discusses the outcomes of a study on indirect bullying behaviors in girls and the link between girls' peer relationships and bullying behaviors. The study used self-report and peer nomination instruments to survey 987 Australian girls in individual classes from Year 6 to Year 10 in 7 South Australian Catholic and independent schools, 5…

Reviews trends in numbers of students excluded from school in England because of behavior problems, illustrating that permanent exclusions are rising. Proposes that causes for exclusion are psychosocial problems, family and social problems, stretched educational resources, and a cultural response to alienated and alienating behavior. Suggests…

Investigated relationship between peer groups and incidence of psychosocial problems among 241 adolescents. Found that group with lowest level of involvement in school activities was labeled negatively by others. Least involved group had most positive attitudes toward alcohol/drug use; lowest levels of perceived harm from alcohol/drugs; and…