Zero Tolerance (ZT) Stories - Again

Zero Tolerance (ZT) Stories - Again

As usual, Wendy McElroy hit is right on the head in her commentary for FoxNews. Zero Tolerance has got to stop. THINKING, RESPONSIBILITY, JUDGEMENT . . . these words used to mean something in our schools' administrations and our governements. Time to bring them back.

FOXNews.com - Views - ifeminists - Zero Patience for Zero Tolerance

For most children, zero tolerance is experienced in schools with administrative rules that purportedly enforce safety and discipline. Arguably, the administrative rules are actually a reaction to federal threats to cut funds. For example, in 1994 Congress passed the Gun-Free School Act by which states had to implement zero tolerance on weapons or lose federal money. Many schools rigorously interpreted zero tolerance to include the prohibition of anything even looking like a weapon. They adopted broad definitions of dangerous behavior, which allowed for no exceptions.

Soon the media spilled over with stories of young children being suspended or treated like felons for playing with water pistols, paper guns or even for pointing their fingers at each other and saying "bang."

The punishment for possessing an obvious toy became the same as for possessing a real weapon because zero tolerance means zero distinctions. Zero tolerance takes discretion and evaluation away from educators and mandates responses that can be wildly inappropriate. Behavior that used to be corrected by detention or a trip to the principal's office now receives suspension, expulsion or even police involvement. What used to be the last resort has become the first and only option.

For further reading check out:

• http://www.thisistrue.com/zt.html
• http://www.thisistrue.com/zt2.html
• http://www.thisistrue.com/zt3.html
• http://www.ztnightmares.com/