Remove or Revise Zero-tolerance policies are policies that have been adapted in work places, communities, and, most frequently, schools. Depending on how certain schools are run and who they are run by, zero-tolerance policies could be positive and helpful or negative and harmful. Many people wonder are these policies really effective in reducing crime and creating safer environments in schools like lawmakers claim these policies are doing; most of the opponents to zero-tolerance policies believe that the policies are just cruel punishments that add to the problems that already exist in our schools and communities. There are obviously those who feel that the policies do exactly what they say they do; advocates for zero-tolerance policies …show more content…
In the article “The Benefits of Zero Tolerance,” Eric Badertscher and Heather Newton discuss why it is important for schools to use zero-tolerance policies but also become more practical with how the policies are administered. In the article Badertscher and Newton tell a story of a young boy in Loudoun County Public Schools who was suspended because he took a knife from another suicidal kid and put it away in his locker. This “lack of flexibility” proves how case by case punishment could work better for these policies (Badertscher and Newton). The student who was found with a knife had no intentions of harming anyone in the school. In fact he possibly saved the life of a fellow student by taking action and retrieving the weapon. By using a more complex approach such as case by case punishment students get a chance to save themselves from a bad record for situations that could not be avoided. Few would argue that instead of trying to handle the situation himself the student should have went to a teacher or administrator and he deserved his punishment. But the reality is problems like suicide require immediate action; most suicidal students would not go to an adult about those problems. If students have no wish to bring hurt, harm, or danger to those in the school building then a lesser punishment or none at all is the best …show more content…
Brian Wilson and Laura Finley discuss how they believe instead keeping violence out of schools the laws “prevent student learning” (Wilson and Finley). Regarding the purpose of the policies, Wilson and Finley state, “zero-tolerance policies are, in effect, a means of channeling young people into the juvenile justice system.” Some of the policies have nothing to do with the safety of the school such as being a distraction, and disobeying dress code. These types of infractions allows minority students to spend less time in school and more time home; time home allows students to find trouble in gangs and crime. Instead of sending students home for a dress code infraction, administrators could simply have clothing available for students who have these infractions. Russel Skiba states, “the use, and especially the overuse, of disciplinary removal carries with it and inherent risk of racial bias” (4).Advocates believe students who break zero-tolerance rules deserves their cruel punishment because no one made them disobey the rules but themselves. I believe lawmakers added silly rules that harm no one to the criteria of zero-tolerance and have ultimately contributed to the increase of crime. Getting rid of rules that target minority
The school to prison hypothesis describes how black children enrolled in schools face racialization and discrimination constantly and it is based off the “zero tolerance” policy (T. Davidson, Education, 2018, lecture 5). This theory connects to the book because Maynard explains throughout chapter eight of how black school children are treated differently. They are more subject to punishments and are susceptible to harsher disciplines. Black students are often seen as a threat within the education system and are constantly over surveilled. The linkage between the educational and criminal justice system is strong.
Many people, before reading this article, might not have been aware of the rapid increase of incarceration rates and the overcrowding issue. This appeals to the reader’s sense of logic by stating that the vast majority of them are nonviolent because it shows them that that is where the overcrowding issue resides. This gets the readers thinking that alternative ways of dealing with nonviolent offenders might be necessary to solving the issue in the criminal justice system. Zuckerman makes the reader understand that reforming the prison system is a reasonable solution to the many problems generated by non-violent offenders being imprisoned. Not only does the author make the reader aware of the issue, but he provides a logical solution for it.
Giving students school suspension or even expulsion gives these students consequences so that
McCarter describes thoroughly the consequences STPP has on the nation’s school-age youth, including but not limited to increased exposure the criminal justice system, and gives solutions that schools can implement that will hopefully limit the overwhelming amount of students coming in contact with the STPP. The article proves that zero tolerance policies are not conducive to a safe school environment and does not foster a safe learning climate for
The literature review clearly has shown that there is a phenomenon called School to Prison, Schoolhouse to Jailhouse, or Public Education to Prison Pipeline. Therefore, Jeremy Thompson (2016) says, “Zero-tolerance policies in schools result in high suspension rates and expulsion rates among students in general, but disproportionately affect minority students, especially African-Americans because students who have been suspended or expelled are more likely than not to end up in the Criminal Justice
A close friend of mine, Ben was stabbed over twenty times by a student, Chad. Chad was headed to college with a promising future but decided it was more important to compromise everything he worked towards over a girl. Like I had said earlier in this assignment, there is often an initial problem that becomes the root of an act of school violence. Thankfully, this incident was not with a gun.
School Suspensions Are a Waste of Time Would you take school suspensions away if it would benedict the school? Many school have always used school suspensions as their way of chastisement, simply because it is the easiest way. School suspensions became popular around the 1960s and 70s because many more fights were occurring due to desegregation. Although school suspensions are widely used throughout most schools, it is time we found a more effective way of discipline. School suspensions are not working because students may not understand what they did wrong, suspensions feel more like time off than a punishment, and students are more likely to act out again after being suspended.
Imagine being a student that got their driver's licence taken away for getting to many tardies and not having up to par grades, and driving is the only way you can get to school. While to some this might seem like a good punishment, this would make it even harder for you to get to school on time, if at all. A punishment meant to help you, would end up hurting you. If we have a no pass, no drive law this would only make the dropout rate worse. I do not think that we should have no pass not drive laws and that instead we need to get to the source of the problem and help the students that are struggling.
Citizens of New York saw the zero-tolerance policy as taken out of context. Former Mayor Giuliani was enforcing that police take all crimes seriously. Police would have had to enforce minor offenses as serious as major offenses, which would not be fair to citizens. “Late in Giuliani's first term, the broken-windows approach morphed into zero tolerance” (Rosen 26).
Any girl who has attended a public high school understands the daily dilemma of dress code. On those scorching hot days as the school year approaches summer, many girls can be found scavenging through their closet for a “school appropriate” outfit or one they won’t melt into a sweaty puddle in. Her dresses will show too much leg, her tops will inappropriately expose her shoulder or collar bone, and her shorts will be too short — at least that 's what the school says. Dress code in modern day high schools should be boycotted because they are a violation to student and parents rights, sexist, out of date, a double standard, and they disrupt a female students education. It 's fair to agree with a policy that claims stringent dress codes increase the emphasis on academics and reduce the pressure of socioeconomic status; however, these dress codes violate the students First Amendment right to freedom of expression and the parents’ Fourteenth Amendment right to raise their children in their own way.
It remains to be seen if zero tolerance policies nationwide will be relaxed or replaced with a more lenient and rehabilitation-oriented approach; perhaps the recent "thaw" will lead into another freeze. Lawmakers and administrators should, however, keep in mind that a school system that has too much in common with jail may end up producing students who are all too ready to become
In schools, teachers and administrative staff hope and think that bad behavior can be fixed with detention and or suspension, a system known as the punitive system of punishment or otherwise known as a zero-tolerance policy. Students are not being given the opportunity to work through their aggression and instead are obligated to sit in a room where nothing gets accomplished. Bottling up emotions and not being able to get the proper emotional support that should be given to a student, can cause unresolved issues when the child grows up, lead to more misbehavior, and ultimately weakens their academic success. A zero-tolerance policy has been ineffective seeing as a student's behavior never gets dealt with and what tends to happen is the situation
Administrators may also favor suspension because it edges problem students out of school. Even though some kids may find entertainment in this and it can make them seem more popular, most students find it degrading to themselves so they try to avoid this again. This means that when children are gone from the place that they can disrupt, they find no more interest in redoing that same mistake. Students need to be suspended for their unacceptable behavior because it can make a huge improvement on their behavior in class and at school.
Society was built on the foundation of rules and laws for many centuries. The concept behind particular rules and regulations have been considered the reason why communities have been able to be kept in order. In every country, rules that are put in place are created for the good of society; however, not every rule and law established has made that nation better. For instance, in the United States, take into consideration the zero-tolerance policy, which was created to protect students across all schools in the United States; ridding it of issues that may affect the students from having a better education, such as drugs or weapons. However, the zero-tolerance policy has become ever so complicated as many years have gone by since its establishment.
Suspended students are more likely to do it again or become repeat offenders. Suspension sometimes fails to change the views of a student and they become repeat offenders, especially if it’s something that is a part of them or they can’t help it. The more suspensions that a student racks up, the more it gets on their record, the more their grade depletes and the less likely they will be eligible to be accepted into a college of their choice. Minor offenses are minor, which means ‘lesser in importance, significance, or seriousness’. Being suspended for cursing or sleeping in class will most likely encourage the thus the problem will continue to occur and the problem will never be resolved.