That's probably true but I bet they word it a bit differently. "social skills". That one always cracks me up. The social skills kids in public school learn are profanity, sarcasm and verbal combat. Oh I suppose dressing cool is another important one.
Actually it reminds me of the horror stories I hear about prison life. You have to get into a gang or you are screwed, so to speak.
The adolescent instincts brought most fully into play in the public school social setting are the instinct to conform, and the instinct to enforce conformity. Want to torture your public-schooler? Make him wear a dorky hat to school.
Any non-conformity is siezed upon and seen as a weak spot, an entry point for ridicule. Take away the adults, and before long you've got Lord of the Flies. Heck, you sometimes get that with the adults present, depending on the adults.
However, this urge to conformity is not discouraged by the school system. In fact, one could argue that the architects of public education designed the environment to encourage it.