School climate and children's views of their rights: A multi-cultural perspective among Jewish and Arab adolescents

Abstract

This study examines the unique contribution of school climate to children's views of their rights in a non-Western and non-Christian culture and in interaction with other cultural and familial factors. This examination is of special interest as most studies to date have focused on children (including adolescents) from Western cultures, living in “Western” families and in Christian societies. The study used data derived from Jewish and Arab adolescents in East and West Jerusalem to determine the relative contribution of personal and contextual factors to their support and understanding of children's rights. Jewish students more often than Arab students supported most of the children's rights variables examined. Patriarchal family patterns were associated with less support for children's rights, while family democratic patterns predicted higher support. In additions, teachers and schools that students described as open to their criticism increased youths' support of children's rights.