Talking about school and values. Educational expectations, values and beliefs of European young people

The essay analyses the results of an exploratory research in order to point out the differences between males and females in relation to school priorities and the composition of their system of values. The data come from a European research, – PACT -, carried out in 20092. After having observed the distribution of school performance among social classes, the different perception of their future in those students with a negative scholastic performance is presented and some reflections about the values set of young Europeans are offered. The analysis shows clearly the importance given to knowledge as a value for its power to improve one’s possibilities in achieving one’s future, distinguishing it from personal culture as a value perceived as less useful in the social context of adult future life. School is considered by students both as social institution and social experience, and it is mainly legitimated in its function of social training for adult life.