<p>The death rates for high school age kids is much, much higher in areas that are poverty stricken. Many times those kids are not even in high school. Often there is not much in the newpapers about the incident. There was a funeral for a young man last month that was not listed anywhere. Very poor family, and things were just taken care of with very little press or care. </p>
<p>When there is a death or issue in a high income, high profile neighborhood, it can make front page news. </p>
<p>I think it is more appropriate to say that putting your kids in a “good” school is not by any means protecting them from the drug, suicide, abuse, etc problems. These problems exist everywhere. But I can tell you that given the choice, families are not flocking to the schools that have a high percentage of low income families. At those schools, the counseling department is dealing with a whole host of problems that you don’t even see addressed at the college prep high schools. I know of one city school where the issues are absenteeism, dropping out, jail, bail, pregnancy, abuse. College counseling does not even make their top 10 list.</p>