There’s a growing body of evidence that building emotional connections between young people and their schools improves their commitment to education and increases their ability to resist risky behavior. Robert Blum and the Wingspread Group – 20 national education and health leaders he and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention convened this summer at the Johnson Foundation’s Wingspread Conference Center in Racine, Wis. issued a statement urging national action to combat the “culture of detachment” in American schools. They cited research showing that 40 percent to 60 percent of all students – urban, suburban and rural – are “chronically disengaged” from school. And these numbers don’t include kids who actually drop out of school.. “We have a culture of detachment in our nation’s schools,” said Blum. “Essentially,we’re telling kids they’re on their own, and while many of them succeed, many don’t. This is not acceptable.”

excerpt taken from http://www.polk-fl.net/staff/resources/documents/keystocharacter/JanResponsibility2005.pdf