One of 52 theoretical papers on school crime and its relation to poverty, this chapter examines rebellion against authority in high school from the perspective of school status theories. Extending such theories beyond concern with the immediate response to academic status and structural inequality, this paper addresses the broader issue of legitimacy of authority in high school. Using data from a statewide sample of 3,100 adolescents in Illinois the paper also examines the process of peer support for rebellious behavior. (Author/MLF)