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.

[Libertina]

The public schools strike again - running for their lives from predatory lawyers and sue-happy parents. Coupled with their NEA indoctrinated brains - it makes for the indefensible actions we read about in this article. Not to worry - they ALL will defend these nonsensical decisions as needed.

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP - Now the question is: What can be done to reverse this tragic tidal wave of PCness?

[Scenic Sounds]

The public schools strike again - running for their lives from predatory lawyers and sue-happy parents.

Let's just close all the law schools - no tolerance for predatory lawyers!!! ;-)

[headsonpikes]

What can be done...?

Teach your children to disrespect wrongful authority.

The Public Schools are at war with America's children - and they're winning!

Support the children against the system, always.

[Libertina]

It is similar to England, more and more. Lawyers are important but that industry (as well as our judiciary) has gotten out of control. What's more, it is one of our "export" industries. :(

[Cathryn Crawford]

Teach your children to disrespect wrongful authority.

Be prepared to get them out of the public school system, then, unless you want them to be punished severely.

[kesg]

[Cathryn Crawford]

Lawyers are important but that industry (as well as our judiciary) has gotten out of control.

Lawyers have their good points, though. They're A-OK in my book.

[CougarGA7]

Unfortunately, that's what it will take before people wake up to the fact that "Zero Tolerance" needs to be tempered with a degree of exercised common sense. My wife spent 3 days in the hospital last week because of an asthma attack, it's not something that should be taken lightly. What about people who are allergic to bee stings? Do they have to have their medication at the nurses office. It sure would be hard to get there when your in anaphalatic shock.

[Sir Gawain]

;-)

[Cathryn Crawford]

Thanks Whizzinator...It worked like a charm!

How did you avoid clinking?

[Sir Gawain]

It's a secret.

[A CA Guy]

There needs to be a common sense "release valve" in place in situations like these that give a panel or judge power to disallow implementation on an individual basis if the circumstances permit.
The problem with some laws are that the are global in action when there should be limitations.
Then they automatically give penalties out when they should be "stayed".

There needs to be "release valves" in these types of laws to not throw the good people into the barrel with the rotten apples IMO!

[TXnMA]

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.

Au contraire. The whole reason for zero tolerance is so that "educators" (NEAA union members) can act out their liberal fantasies without being called to task for having made a decision.

[patton]

Some lawyers are ok.

[LanPB01]

Are you making a pass at me again?

[Cathryn Crawford]

Are you making a pass at me again?

Again? I don't remember the first time. :-)

[headsonpikes]

Be prepared to get them out of the public school system...

Well, yes, but where that is a present difficulty, then be prepared to teach them how to survive the system - how to dissemble, how to be discrete, how to never trust the 'occupying power'.

Of course, one could always choose to teach them how to work the system, and milk the taxpayers - I know that many parents do.

I believe that to be a short-sighted policy.

[Cathryn Crawford]

Well, yes, but where that is a present difficulty, then be prepared to teach them how to survive the system - how to dissemble, how to be discrete, how to never trust the 'occupying power'.

I fully agree - but you have to be practical, too. And part of that is being prepared to simply pull them out of the system.

[sunryse]

My daughter's school is the same way. Either she has to run across school (while having an attack for crying out loud) or have another student run there and run all the way back. Death can occur either way.

Zero Tolerance = Zero Common Sense