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While I'm inclined to believe the main reasons students don't get their work done is because they have other things (primarily a social life) they view as more important, and that this has nothing to do with school work being "cool" or not, I'll address the question at hand.

First and foremost, kids, especially teenagers, have a natural desire to rebel. They're just starting to become adults and come out into their own. However, they still have much to learn, and as a result, still need protection from their parents and guidance in schools. These two needs clash, making teens feel it necessary to express themselves and rebel, without leaving the comfort and safety of known routine.

As a result, "rebelling" becomes "cool" amongst teenagers, and a very easy way to rebel is to not do school work. School is the epitome of authority and the epitome of what teens want to rebel against. Most teens still want decent grades, not to anger their parents, to GET some kind of educaiton, and for many, to be able to go to college. However, most also know that you have so much school work, each assignment only counts for so much. As a result, not doing some, or even a lot, of your homework often does not have that negative a consequence on your grades (or so it seems... this is typically an inaccurate view, since not doing the work then hurts you on tests and such, but most students don't consider this).

As a result, not doing some or a lot of school work seems safe, but it's still not doing what "they" want you to do. As a result, many teens see refusing to do some or even a lot of school/home work as a very safe way to express themselves and rebel, and subsequently many kids do it, and subsequently it becomes seen as "cool."

Learn more about this author, Sam Leven.
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