No More Tolerance For Zero Tolerance (Cathryn Crawford)

The Washington Dispatch ^ | October 10, 2003 | Cathryn Crawford

[Scenic Sounds]

Once, long ago, there was legitimate reasoning behind the zero tolerance policy in our public schools that could be fathomed - but there’s also legitimate reasoning behind the saying that good intentions pave the way to hell. Originally, zero tolerance measures were aimed at dangerous kids who brought guns and drugs to school. However, the number of items and behaviors now considered suspension or expulsion-worthy has grown to an infinitely ridiculous amount.

The terms regarding these items and behaviors are conveniently vague, as well, and vary from place to place. There is zero tolerance for weapons - what is a weapon? Is it a butter knife, a laser pointer, a beeper? The same question applies to drugs. Is a children’s multi-vitamin a drug? What about an inhaler? Certs? Mouthwash?

What about zero tolerance for “disrespect” or “insubordination”? Is that simply whatever the administrator of the school deems it to be? For example - in Mississippi, there is a law that allows students older than 13 to be expelled if they are “disruptive” in class three times over the course of the school year. What power that gives to administrators – how convenient for them! With the vague wording of these laws, they can remand any child that they see as a troublemaker to an alternative school so that they no longer have to “deal with” them. What qualifies as a disruption? Is that chewing gum in class or passing notes or using profanity - or pulling out a gun and threatening the teacher with it?

Futures – in the guise of college scholarships – are being put in jeopardy because of zero tolerance. Consider the case of the 17 year old honors student from Arkansas that was sentenced to 45 days in alternative school because his father accidentally left a scraper and pocketknife in the car the weekend before. Despite the pleas from the father, the school system refused to budge on the inviolate “weapons possession” punishment. Then there was the 18 year old girl who was arrested and charged with a felony for having a kitchen knife in her car that she had been using to open boxes. She was denied her right to graduate and she now has a criminal felony on her record. Is this the ultimate aim of zero tolerance?

Does constant fear of the tiniest infraction bringing severe punishment actually cause children to respect teachers and school administrators? Hardly. On the contrary, it fosters an attitude of resentment, disrespect, and deep anger towards authority. It also leaves no room for a positive relationship between children and teachers – there is, for the child, always a fear of punishment for the slightest unintended wrongdoing. It leads to a form of self-censorship that is representative of life under dictatorships.

Do we really want the cookie-cutter kids that zero tolerance strives to create, devoid of fire and passion and intelligence and creativity? Do we want kids that are always afraid to speak their own mind and stand up for themselves for fear of disrupting a classroom and being suspended or expelled for it?

Perhaps the only positive aspect of zero tolerance is the likelihood that the children who had to endure it will be the ones who are likely to change it.

Cathryn Crawford is a student at the University of Texas. She can be reached at cathryncrawford@washingtondispatch.com.

[Scenic Sounds]

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[Scenic Sounds]

Another great column, Cathryn. The hits just keep on coming!! ;-)

[Cathryn Crawford]

Ping!

[erikm88]

After reading the post about the student in Houston that was charged with the transference of a "dangerous drug" while saving the life of his asthmatic girlfriend... this is another refreshing article that takes a look at the idiotic nature of "zero-tolerance" policies... Great piece!

--erik

[Wolfie]

"Zero Tolerance". Another Drug War chicken come home to roost.

[Calpernia]

..

[CougarGA7]

I heard about that story yesterday. They both were on the exact same perscription of Albuturol, she had forgotten her inhaler so he gave her his when she was having an attack. The girl's mother even said he was completely right in what he did.

But the boy still is facing felony charges (that hopefully will get thrown out) and he is expelled from school which he may not be able to reverse. The whole thing is so rediculous that it borders on offensive.

[jmc813]

WOD Ping

[trebb]

"Zero Tolerance" is descriptive of the left-wing "Party of Tolerance" - They can't hide their aspirations for a totalitarian oligarchy; it spews from their mouths daily and people are starting to wake up...

[Modernman]

They both were on the exact same perscription of Albuturol, she had forgotten her inhaler so he gave her his when she was having an attack.

Some schools require asthmatic students to leave their inhalers in the nurse's office. My cousin has severe asthma-some of his attacks leave no time for him to get his inhaler from an office all the way across the school. One of these days, an asthmatic or diabetic kid is going to die because of these rules and his or her parents will end up with a multi-million dollar judgment against the school board. I would even support negligent homicide charges against the administrators in such a situation.

[Cathryn Crawford]

CNN: Special Ed Kids Used As Janitors

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[Odyssey-x]

The whole reason for zero tolerance is so that principals could take action against violent gangs without being called racist. They could just say they were merely carrying out administrative procedures.

[sheik yerbouty]

Not only must davis be given the boot, but the entire Caliban as well! They are virulent cancers which must be resected.

[erikm88]

Passing the buck... Bureaucrats and educrats alike are very good at this...

--erik

[Sci Fi Guy]

Actually zero tolerance applys to a lot more than just drugs. Perhaps you should read the article.

[Scenic Sounds]

"Zero Tolerance". Another Drug War chicken come home to roost.

Good post. What about the kids who need medicines for their asthma? Or the kids who smoke pot for their glaucoma? The rules need to be flexible. ;-)

[UnklGene]

After reading the post about the student in Houston that was charged with the transference of a "dangerous drug" while saving the life of his asthmatic girlfriend... this is another refreshing article that takes a look at the idiotic nature of "zero-tolerance" policies... Great piece!

--erik

This was the first thing I thought of! Thanks for the article.

[jimkress]

The problems with 'zero tolerance' can be traced to one thing, malicious compliance by the Left.

Incensed that their constituency (the criminal class) was being selectively targeted, the Left decided to maliciously apply the 'zero tolerance' edict to everyone. They did this to destroy its effectiveness at dealing with known criminals and trouble makers, to perpetuate their program of allowing criminals to escape punishment, and perpetuate violence and fear in the schools.

The Left does want not education. An educated electorate will reject the Left's genitally driven, emotional hegemony.

By perpetuating a climate of fear in the schools, education
is eliminated and a new generation of ignorant slaves is produced - thus perpetuating Liberal domination of society.