Poll: Most teens want parental involvement
Wed, Aug 8, 2001
WASHINGTON -- Teenagers just want their parents to butt out, right? It seems not. In a survey, released Tuesday, of teens across the country, nearly all of them said they can confide in someone in their family. Almost half would pick a family member - not a pop icon or sports star - as a role model. More than a quarter said school violence is caused by parents spending too little time with their children, second only to bullying of students by others. "Having a strong relationship with our families is very important to our success," said Michael Hsia, ready to start his senior year at Livermore High School in Livermore, Calif. "Maybe it"s time for mothers and fathers across the nation to realize that and provide more support." The "State of Our Nation"s Youth" survey is published annually by the Horatio Alger Association. The Virginia-based nonprofit organization is dedicated to increasing educational opportunities and gives $3 million in need-based college scholarships each year, funded through donations from individual association members, corporations, foundations and other nonprofits. The gauge of adolescent attitudes and goals is based on a telephone survey of 1,014 high-school students conducted in May by pollster Peter Hart. The results had a margin of error of 3 percentage points. Hart said the results paint a picture of today"s youth as striving and grounded. "America is in good hands with the next generation," said Robert Gilmore, a rising senior at Trinity High School in Euless, Texas. On school violence, nearly two-thirds of those surveyed worry no more than a little bit about being safe at school. But nearly half of minority high-school students and 42 percent of city dwellers worry a great deal about violence.
The Associated Press
Copyright ©2001, Ogden Publishing Corporation