School life better for kids than it's been in years: researcher

By Misty Harris, Canwest News Service

In a post-Columbine age of school shootings and bullying, the news seems nothing short of radical: according to a leading Canadian sociologist, young people's educational experience is actually better now than it's been in generations.

Reginald Bibby, whose findings are based on a nationwide survey of some 5,500 teens, reports that enjoyment of school is at its "highest level in almost three decades."

Although 15 per cent of our young people still harbour concern over bullies, the vast majority nonetheless feel safe at school — 84 per cent, compared to 78 per cent in 2000. Nearly half say teachers significantly influence their lives — a proportion that outstrips television, the Internet and advertising — while confidence in those running the education system trumps that which teens have in leaders of every other sector, including police, government, courts and the media.

Read the full article here.