What term describes the standards of behavior deemed proper by society, subtly taught in schools?

The correct choice highlights the concept of the "hidden curriculum," which refers to the unspoken or implicit values, behaviors, and norms that are communicated through the educational environment, rather than through formal lessons. This includes social expectations, attitudes toward authority, and values related to work and cooperation that students learn alongside their academic subjects.

The hidden curriculum shapes students' social identities and influences their behavior in subtle ways that are not explicitly taught through textbooks or lesson plans. It is essential in understanding how educational institutions reinforce societal norms and expectations.

This contrasts with concepts like formal curriculum, which pertains only to the overt academic subjects and materials taught in schools, or social norms, which are broader societal rules guiding behavior but not necessarily linked to education. Covert learning, while it may imply some form of unintentional learning, does not specifically encapsulate the structured environment of a school and the socialization that occurs within that context.