Zero Tolerance in schools - Is it right to be so absolute? Do we punish rightly?
By kbkbooks
@kbkbooks (7022)
Canada
March 28, 2007 11:33am CST
In many schools now there are Zero Tolerance policies against drugs, smoking, and drinking. This most often means there is no alcohol, no cigarettes, and no drugs of any kind allowed on the campus.
Is it right to say that children should stay home if they are taking prescriptions? Is it right to say even the school authorities cannot pass out aspirin or acetominophen?
I heard of one case where a girl was suspended because they caught her carrying Tic Tac breath mints, apparently out of the container. If we are busy punishing these students, meanwhile what is happening to the ones who are carrying real drugs?
In one school I know, teachers stand outside the front gate right out on the main street to have their cigarettes. Looks severely tacky in my opinion, not just to students but to the public.
In another case, students sneak off to a back corner of the campus on their breaks or lunch hour to smoke or to get high. Granted, the campus and school are so big they can't be monitored 100%. Well, if you can't enforce the rule, why have it?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@dragontester (570)
• Switzerland
28 Mar 07
It is dumb to say that they can not even take prescriptions. But, apart from that, the zero tolerance policies are needed in today's society. This is for the good of the students itself. Every rule will have a loop hole. But, that does not mean that the rule itself is not needed.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
28 Mar 07
You are wrong, zero tolerance policies are not needed, in fact they teach kids the wrong lessons.
A kid used his book bag as a backpack for a family camping trip over the weekend. On monday morning he takes out the camping gear and loads up his books, notebooks and pencils. At school he finds his pocketknife in one of the pockets of his bag.
He takes the knife to the front office and turns it in. This is what any responsible kid should do and is what should be policy.
What happened to the kid? The police were called. He was charged with bringing a weapon to school. He was expelled and had to go to court. The judge ordered him to pay a fine and take anger management classes.
What did this teach the kid? That doing the responsible thing is wrong.
He accidentally brought a knife to school and was treated as if he actually used it.
If this is what we "need" in our society, then we have already lost any semblance of society.
The fact is, the principal, the cops and the judge were merely proving they are incompetent. Worse yet, the school board and legislators who passed such innane laws and policies proved that they are braindead oafs who can't think... period.
If they can't tell the difference between a responsible act and a criminal act, they have NO business in positions of authority.
2 people like this
@steelmoggy (410)
•
29 Mar 07
From my own experience on a School Board here in the UK, and in other situations where I've held positions of authority, Zero Tolerance policies are usually imposed (if you've got sense) only when the 'softly softly' techniques have been tried and failed.
For example, if you set up soem basic rules, there are always people who will act as 'Barrack Room Lawyers' and try and weasel out of the consequences of their actions by studying the rules set up and attempting to find loopholes.
Eventually, the folks who set up teh rules spend more time dealing with a tiny number of people who spend their time breaching the rules just to see whether they can get way with it.
In most situations, the majority of people abide by teh rules set and whilst they may occasionally not agree with them, they'll go with it. Zero Tolerance typically has little effect on the rule following, law abiding majority, but is frequently the only thing that gets through to the persistent violators. Once these people get the message that their games are over, and start playing ball, you can ease off the Zero Tolerance rules, but make it clear that they will be re-introduced if silliness starts again.
It may see Draconian, but on the occasions I've imposed this sort of approach, it's worked.
AND...it has to be done with respect. You bring in Zero Tolerance on smoking - it applies to pupils, visitors AND teaching staff. This approach requires to be imposed strictly but fairly and consistently. Anyone who attempts to do this without the fairness is going to get no results whatsoever.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
28 Mar 07
Zero Tolerance is just Zero Intelligence. A feeble minded way for lazy school officials with no leadership ability to absolve themselves of any responsibility.
When kids are treated like criminals because they accidentally left something in their book bag or pockets, we should be seriously looking at who the real criminal is.
When kids are treated the same as the bully, just because they finally fought back, our schools are in touble.
We pay school officials to make decisions, but then all they do is make rules that allow them to accept their paycheck for not doing their jobs. If they aren't expected to make decisions they aren't worth their paychecks and should be replaced by real leaders.
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