DATA UTILIZED FOR THE STUDY WERE FROM TWO NATIONAL SURVEYS OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND INTERVIEWS WITH HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF., AREA. FINDINGS INDICATED THAT STUDENT POLITICAL AND ETHNIC DISORDERS AND PROTESTS INCREASED AND THEN SUBSIDED. DRUG USE WAS FAIRLY COMMON, AS WELL AS RACIAL CONFLICTS. VANDALISM AND THEFT WERE PREVALENT, ALTHOUGH THIS MAY HAVE REFLECTED A SOCIETAL TREND NOT UNIQUE TO SCHOOLS. ORGANIZED GANGS OPERATED IN LARGE-CITY HIGH SCHOOLS. PHYSICAL CONFRONTATIONS BETWEEN STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OR ADMINISTRATORS WERE NOT WIDESPREAD. PROBLEMS OF STUDENT CONTROL WERE GREATEST IN SCHOOLS MOST POORLY TIED TO STUDENT AND COMMUNITY CONSTITUENCIES. SCHOOLS WITH WORKING CLASS AND ESPECIALLY MINORITY GROUP CONSTITUENCIES REPORTED MORE PROBLEMS RELATED TO ATTACKS ON TEACHERS, DRUG USE, VANDALISM, AND ABSENTEEISM. RESPONSES OF SCHOOL AUTHORITIES DID NOT SUPPORT THE WIDELY HELD VIEW THAT THE PRIMARY PROBLEM IN SCHOOL IS ONE OF DISCIPLINE AND ORDER. THE CONCEPT OF EXTERNALIZATION IS USED TO EXPLAIN THE CHANGING STATUS OF YOUTH IN AMERICAN SOCIETY AND CHANGING RESPONSES OF HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TO PROBLEMS OF ORDER. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT PROBLEMS OF SCHOOL ORDER AND RESPONSES OF SCHOOL AUTHORITIES TO THESE PROBLEMS ARE CONTIGENT ON SOCIETAL CHANGES. THE REDEFINITION OF YOUNG PEOPLE AS INDEPENDENT PERSONS WITH PURPOSES OF THEIR OWN HAS CONTRIBUTED TO DISORDER AND CONFLICT. REFERENCES AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)