Zero Tolerance

1
Zero Tolerance

• Sarah Beck
• Kelly Harmon
• Mike Ginnane

2
The Beginning of Zero Tolerance

• Zero Tolerance means all misbehavior will have
  some sanction.
• The Zero Tolerance policy began in 1994 when the
  federal government initiated the Gun-Free Schools
  Act
• This act was created in reaction to the school
  shootings and rise in violent juvenile crime of
  the mid-90s
• This policy required schools to expel students
  for one year if they bring fire arms and illegal
  drugs to school

3
Adoption of Zero Tolerance

• Congress required all schools to adopt the zero
  tolerance policy
• If a school refused to adopt zero tolerance, the
  school would no longer receive federal funding
• Now all 50 states have adopted zero tolerance and
  zero tolerance policies are now standard
  operating procedure in the nations 109,000
  public schools.

4
Expansion

• Since its creation state legislatures and local
  school boards have expanded the zero tolerance
  policy
• The zero tolerance policy has been expanded to
  include alcohol, cigarettes, illegal drugs,
  gangs, fighting, cursing and prostitution

5
Suspension and Expulsion Rates

• Due to the widespread adoption of this new
  policy, in 1998 more than 3.1 million children in
  the United States were suspended and another
  87,000 children were expelled.
• The numbers of children being suspended and
  expelled is still rising

6
Positive VS Negative

• Increase in school safety
• Fewer weapons brought to school
• Control of illegal drugs brought to school
• Harsh punishment for those who violate rules
• Good policy in theory
• Teaches students to follow the rules or face the
  consequences, which helps prepare students for
  the real world

• Well intentioned efforts have gotten out of
  control, resulting in exceedingly harsh
  punishments for minor infractions
• Has been interpreted that the maximum punishment
  is to be given for every transgression
• Causes many problems denial of education, rise
  in drop out rates, increased rate of suspension
  and expulsion and racially biased punishment

7
Problems with Zero Tolerance

• Many schools have used this policy as an excuse
  to expel students for carrying any object the
  could be considered a weapon, prescription drugs,
  and over the counter drugs.
• Punishes too severely for stupid teenage mistakes

8
Horror Stories

• Students have been punished for bringing Midol or
  Advil to school, using Listerine during school
  hours, and taking cough drops at school
• An 11 year old died at school from an asthma
  attack after the school would not allow him to
  bring an inhaler
• A 10 year old girl was suspended for sexual
  harassment when she repeatedly asked a little boy
  in her class if he liked her
• An honor student in Michigan was expelled for
  verbal assault when he told a joke to his friends
• Students have been expelled for having water
  pistols and nail clippers because they are
  considered potential weapons
• One student was expelled for pointing a piece of
  breaded chicken at a teacher during lunch and
  pretending it was a gun

9
Zero Tolerance and Discrimination

• Minorities are expelled and suspended more often,
  which shows a tendency toward discrimination
• The most frequently punished group are low
  achieving males of color, these are the students
  who need the most help
• African American students are suspended 2.3 times
  more often than Caucasian students
• Frequent suspension of minorities contributes to
  the achievement gap and starts the chain of
  events that leads to kids dropping out

10
Is it Effective?

• After 10 years of implementation there is little
  or no evidence that strict zero tolerance
  policies have a significant contribution to
  reducing student misbehavior or improving school
  safety
• Judging by statistics zero tolerance has had no
  real effect
• Students are reporting crime at the same level as
  in the 1970s, while the number of youth
  suspensions has doubled from 3.7 of students in
  1974 to 6.8 of students in 1998

11
Effectiveness - Continued

• Most of the time the students being suspended are
  repeat offenders, suggesting that the at risk
  students are not getting the message which the
  zero tolerance policy is trying to send.
• The long term result of zero tolerance and
  frequent suspension is studetns dropping out of
  school

12
Alternatives to Zero Tolerance

• Intervention through anti violence programs like
  anti bullying, anger management, and peer
  mediation help to reduce discipline problems in
  schools.
• Building student teacher relationships
• More teacher training in classroom management
• Discipline through compassion not an iron fist.
• Include a range of less severe consequences which
  are geared to a variety of offenses

13
Works Cited

• USA Today Education News Zero Tolerance
  Policies Lack Flexibility
• History of Zero Tolerance - www.buildingblocksfory
  outh.org/issues/zerotolerance/facts.html
• National Education Association Today - The
  Untolerated What happens to students who run
  afoul of strict discipline rules?
• Harvard Graduate School of Education News Zero
  Tolerance for School Violence
• At Zero Tolerance Punishment, Preventtion and
  School Violence