A zero tolerance policy in schools requires administrators to hand down specific and consistent punishment for certain behaviors that occur on campus. The consequences given to students are usually harsh, involving either suspension or expulsion, and it can sometimes be for misconduct issues that are relatively minor. It is an outcome that applies regardless of the circumstances or the reasons for the behavior, including actions taken in self-defense. Show
The first zero tolerance policies were developed in the 1990s in the United States as a response to school shooting incidents that occurred. Laws like the Gun-Free Schools Act, which passed in 1994, require schools to expel any student who brings a gun to campus. It was at this time when it became popular to become harsh on minor violations under the idea that it could prevent serious crimes. Schools began to take their own disciplinary policies to the next level after the passage of these laws, require suspension or expulsion for bringing anything that could be deemed a weapon to school – such as a nail clipper. Fighting offenses, including minor scuffles, or even insubordination defined as swearing at a teacher or administrator are part of these policies too. Does a zero tolerance policy in schools actually work, or does it create a situation where students become more fearful about what might happen to them? There are several pros and cons to review with this approach. List of the Pros of Zero Tolerance Policies in Schools1. Zero tolerance policies work to create a safe learning environment. 2. This type of policy prepares students for the real world. 3. It is an approach that helps to reduce favoritism in schools. 4. Almost anything can be turned into a weapon with intent. It is important to remember that if a student is bringing items to school, there is intent in that action. Zero tolerance policies are based more on the intent to use an item than the actual product. That’s why you can see suspensions sometimes for nail clippers or rubber bands. 5. It reduces the number of drugs that get brought to campus. Critics will point out that the district went too far in that situation by initiating a strip search to determine if she had more medication on her person. From a drug-only standpoint, students are not doctors. Even medicines like Tylenol or ibuprofen can create potentially hazardous side effects. By having a zero tolerance policy against carrying drugs, it reduces the potential for harm with all students. 6. It is not always easy to determine
what the intent of a child might be. Now take this incident from the perspective of the school. There is a student pretending to use a weapon. Other students might feel threatened by this behavior. It could even be part of a bullying effort, whether the young child realizes it or not. Where one group of parents sees the consequence as being out of control, another will see a measured response that creates a learning experience for the entire family. 7. Zero tolerance policies create clear guidelines to follow. One of the primary reasons why there is such resistance to these rules is that parents don’t take the time to read through their guidebooks given to them by the school. It’s the same philosophy that comes with signing a contract without reading the text. You think you know what’s in there, but then feel shocked to know that you agreed to something that you didn’t like in the first place. 8. These policies are continuing to evolve to protect students. 9. A majority of parents support zero tolerance policies at schools. 10. Zero tolerance does not apply in most situations to socioeconomic issues. Critics rightly point out that zero tolerance policies are ineffective when schools attempt to enforce them for socioeconomic reasons. Kids showing up with a lack of school supplies for the classroom is not an issue that can be fixed with an automatic suspension. Tardiness and unexcused absences have reasons that fall outside of the intent-to-harm spectrum as well, requiring schools to work with students and parents to resolve the underlying issues that cause the behavior in the first place. List of the Cons of Zero Tolerance Policies in Schools1. There are a lot of times when common sense isn’t applied to a situation. Common sense must be part of a zero tolerance policy, but unfortunately, these rules tend to create an over-reaction by the adults in that situation. 2. It focuses more on classroom disruption than the needs of the child involved. Schools should not be the catch-all solution for every family, but they can be a resource to help kids find the help they need instead of brandishing them as a troublemaker. Zero tolerance policies can make it challenging to access the help that people need. 3. Some zero tolerance policy rules may be discriminatory. 4. Educators must be educated about how to enforce these policies accurately. The leaf was tested three times for marijuana and it was negative each incident. Even though the court dropped the case because the leaf turned out to be from a Japanese maple, the school district determined that it was an “imitation drug,” so the consequence was warranted. Kids have been suspended for bringing bags of oregano to school for the same reason. If someone thinks it is a drug, then that’s enough for a suspension. 5. There is no consistency applied to zero tolerance rules. Here’s what happened: the girl’s grandmother sent a birthday cake to the school to celebrate her special day. Grandma included a knife to help cut it. Then the teacher used that knife to cut and serve the cake to the rest of the class… before turning the student in for bringing the weapon to school. In this situation, the expulsion was eventually overturned. 6. Different people have unique interpretations of what a rule requires. Situations like this occur all of the time. Honor student Diane Tran was making straight As and working two jobs to support her siblings, but it also led to unexcused absences. She was arrested for truancy and held for 24 hours for missing school despite her grades. Those charges were eventually dropped. Conclusion Zero tolerance policies were created to prevent school shootings because they gave school districts some leverage in sending home students caught with a deadly weapon on campus. Now that these rules can apply to various situations where a perceived threat takes place, more disruptions to the learning environment occur because of their enforcement sometimes. That’s not to say that there isn’t a place for this approach in some situations. Students deserve to have a safe place to learn that is relatively free from disruptions. It is also important for us to remember that kids will joke about things all of the time. They will make questionable decisions sometimes because of the way that their brains develop while growing up. Zero tolerance makes sense when there is an intent to hurt someone else, whether that action occurs with a gun, a nail clipper, or a child’s fists. It may not be the correct approach to take when that intent is missing. Author Bio What are potential benefits and drawbacks of implementing zero tolerance policies in schools?Zero Tolerance Policies in K-12 Schools: Examining the Pros and Cons. May be required by law. ... . Aim to keep kids safer. ... . Prepares children for the real world. ... . Involves favoritism. ... . Students banned from school face risks at home without supervision.. What are the benefits of zero tolerance policies?Zero tolerance policies create clear guidelines to follow.
It removes offenders from the classroom and allows administrators to act quickly with discipline based on school policies. The guidelines of expectations and consequences are clear and communicated to everyone before the start of the school year.
What are the problems with zero tolerance policies?These policies, which mandate that schools severely punish disruptive students regardless of the infraction or its rationale, can actually increase bad behavior and also lead to higher drop out rates, according to the American Psychological Association's (APA) report.
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