Disruptive behaviour in religious and secular high schools: Teachers' and students' attitudes

This two-phase study, conducted in religious and secular high schools, investigated the attitudes of teachers and students to disruptive behaviour. The first phase examined a religious school, then applied the same research tools to a secular school. It was assumed that differences of attitude would be found, with teachers viewing disruptive behaviour more severely than the students. It was also expected that, by comparison with teachers and students from a secular school, disruptive behaviour would be viewed more severely in the religious school. The results confirmed the assumptions, and significant differences were found between teachers and students and between religious and secular schools. A significant interaction effect was also found between disruptive behaviour and religious teachers. The importance of the study for educators and researchers is discussed.