It is interesteing to see the you in the US of A are starting to see some of the problems us brits have been going on about for the last 10 years or so......Normally we get trends from the US 10 years after they have started there, not the other way round ! I have 2 girls, one 17 and one of 12. The elder is a science geek and loves electronics etc, but gets all kinds of trouble from those who still think science is for boys. However, her intelligence, exam results, and humor shines through. The trouble is caused by those who feel that results are gained by just being part of the system, a cog in society, taking what is offered on a plate, and giving nothing back in return. My youngest is really into sport, and reguarly beats the girls and most of the boys of her age and a year older in 800 and 1500m......We pay for her to have private althletics training because the local school cant "afford the time" to help her during Phys Ed to nurture her skills. Instead they insist that all pupils have a balanced routine. In fact she has even been barred from entering school competitions because she is too good! Apparently, the other kids must be allowed to have a chance of winning! Grrrr! Some more examples of our stupid rules, and dumbing down here....... We have social housing here...... however, if you are for example eastern european ( those that have just joined the EU ) are now allowed to claim housing rights in the UK......leaving those "native UK" fighting for the same places, and in fact usually standing LESS chance of getting housing. More and more 18 - 22 yr old women get pregnant, have kids as single mums. By right they automatically get social housing, very few need to work because they can claim government benefits. Education standards have dropped dramatically in the UK over the last 15 years..... I recently studied for an advanced degree ( Masters ) and part of the open day team buildingwas to pit the 18yr olds against the mature students in a team quiz based on modern as well as old test papers ( effectively your high school exams ). In every case the mature students won......calculus, advanced trig, basic history ( 2nd world war stuff ) and even spelling was non existant. The youngster claimed it wasnt fair cuz we were older and had more "life experience".........However, the questions were all academically based, not based on acquired life knowledge. The lecturers now freely admit that the 1st year of any degree course is used to level everybodies knowledge......i.e bring the 18yds knowledge up from the "high school level" to that required to study at degree level. Criminal sentences........due to overcrowding, more and more people escape imprisonment. Social sentences, "community service", fines lowered because people cant afford to pay...........Grrrr. Kids on the streets, at or near dark, in gangs...........parents unable or unwilling to take responsibilty for their kids actions. Police officers who are afraid to tackle kids incase they are accused of "beating" them up. 12- 16 yr olds now know more about the "law" than the local police. Gangs getting under 12's to do robberies in peoples home cuz they know the kid cannot be prosecuted because they are under age. Lack of respect for elders and peers....... no school uniforms once in high school because it infringes "human rights to express ones identity"...... calling teachers by their 1st name instead of sir or miss. Truancy........ Finally parents are now accountable if their child misses school for no apparent reason. They can be fined and imprisoned in severe cases........ However, this course of action is never taken because the parents are usually too poor to pay a fines, and would involve the kids going into care whilst the usually single parent is in prison....even more money paid out by the tax payer........so the kid and the parent gets away with it. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!! I could go on all night. Rest assured you in the US have the same as us brits. In some ways your society is better equipped to handle it though. 3 strikes etc. It would be a great deterrant here, as would gun toting police officers......although I do like our british bobby, especially if she is female, and i get to use my truncheon........oh the uniform