Zero ToleranceZero Tolerance

Sarah BeckSarah Beck

Kelly HarmonKelly Harmon

Mike GinnaneMike Ginnane

The Beginning of Zero The Beginning of Zero ToleranceTolerance

Zero Tolerance means all Zero Tolerance means all misbehavior will have some misbehavior will have some sanction. sanction.

The Zero Tolerance policy The Zero Tolerance policy began in 1994 when the began in 1994 when the federal government initiated federal government initiated the Gun-Free Schools Act the Gun-Free Schools Act

This act was created in This act was created in reaction to the school reaction to the school shootings and rise in violent shootings and rise in violent juvenile crime of the mid-90sjuvenile crime of the mid-90s

This policy required schools to This policy required schools to expel students for one year if expel students for one year if they bring fire arms and illegal they bring fire arms and illegal drugs to schooldrugs to school

Adoption of Zero Adoption of Zero ToleranceTolerance

Congress required all schools to Congress required all schools to adopt the zero tolerance policyadopt the zero tolerance policy

If a school refused to adopt zero If a school refused to adopt zero tolerance, the school would no tolerance, the school would no longer receive federal fundinglonger receive federal funding

Now all 50 states have adopted Now all 50 states have adopted zero tolerance and zero tolerance zero tolerance and zero tolerance policies are now standard policies are now standard operating procedure in the operating procedure in the nation’s 109,000 public schools. nation’s 109,000 public schools.

ExpansionExpansion

Since its creation state Since its creation state legislatures and local legislatures and local school boards have school boards have expanded the zero expanded the zero tolerance policytolerance policy

The zero tolerance policy The zero tolerance policy has been expanded to has been expanded to include alcohol, include alcohol, cigarettes, illegal drugs, cigarettes, illegal drugs, gangs, fighting, cursing gangs, fighting, cursing and prostitutionand prostitution

Suspension and Suspension and Expulsion RatesExpulsion Rates

Due to the widespread adoption of Due to the widespread adoption of this new policy, in 1998 more than this new policy, in 1998 more than 3.1 million children in the United 3.1 million children in the United States were suspended and another States were suspended and another 87,000 children were expelled.87,000 children were expelled.

The numbers of children being The numbers of children being suspended and expelled is still suspended and expelled is still risingrising

Positive VS NegativePositive VS Negative

Increase in school safetyIncrease in school safety Fewer weapons brought Fewer weapons brought

to schoolto school Control of illegal drugs Control of illegal drugs

brought to school brought to school Harsh punishment for Harsh punishment for

those who violate rulesthose who violate rules Good policy in theoryGood policy in theory Teaches students to Teaches students to

follow the rules or face follow the rules or face the consequences, which the consequences, which helps prepare students helps prepare students for the real worldfor the real world

Well intentioned efforts Well intentioned efforts have gotten out of control, have gotten out of control, resulting in exceedingly resulting in exceedingly harsh punishments for harsh punishments for minor infractions minor infractions

Has been interpreted that Has been interpreted that the maximum punishment the maximum punishment is to be given for every is to be given for every transgressiontransgression

Causes many problems: Causes many problems: denial of education, rise in denial of education, rise in drop out rates, increased drop out rates, increased rate of suspension and rate of suspension and expulsion and racially expulsion and racially biased punishmentbiased punishment

Problems with Zero Problems with Zero Tolerance Tolerance

Many schools have used Many schools have used this policy as an excuse this policy as an excuse to expel students for to expel students for carrying: any object the carrying: any object the could be considered a could be considered a weapon, prescription weapon, prescription drugs, and over the drugs, and over the counter drugs.counter drugs.

Punishes too severely for Punishes too severely for stupid teenage mistakesstupid teenage mistakes

Horror StoriesHorror Stories Students have been punished for bringing Midol or Students have been punished for bringing Midol or

Advil to school, using Listerine during school hours, Advil to school, using Listerine during school hours, and taking cough drops at schooland taking cough drops at school

An 11 year old died at school from an asthma An 11 year old died at school from an asthma attack after the school would not allow him to bring attack after the school would not allow him to bring an inhaleran inhaler

A 10 year old girl was suspended for sexual A 10 year old girl was suspended for sexual harassment when she repeatedly asked a little boy harassment when she repeatedly asked a little boy in her class if he liked herin her class if he liked her

An honor student in Michigan was expelled for An honor student in Michigan was expelled for verbal assault when he told a joke to his friendsverbal assault when he told a joke to his friends

Students have been expelled for having water Students have been expelled for having water pistols and nail clippers because they are pistols and nail clippers because they are considered potential weaponsconsidered potential weapons

One student was expelled for pointing a piece of One student was expelled for pointing a piece of breaded chicken at a teacher during lunch and breaded chicken at a teacher during lunch and pretending it was a gunpretending it was a gun

Zero Tolerance and Zero Tolerance and DiscriminationDiscrimination

Minorities are expelled and suspended more Minorities are expelled and suspended more often, which shows a tendency toward often, which shows a tendency toward discrimination discrimination

The most frequently punished group are low The most frequently punished group are low achieving males of color, these are the achieving males of color, these are the students who need the most help students who need the most help

African American students are suspended 2.3 African American students are suspended 2.3 times more often than Caucasian studentstimes more often than Caucasian students

Frequent suspension of minorities contributes Frequent suspension of minorities contributes to the achievement gap and starts the chain to the achievement gap and starts the chain of events that leads to kids dropping outof events that leads to kids dropping out

Is it Effective?Is it Effective?

After 10 years of implementation there is After 10 years of implementation there is little or no evidence that strict zero tolerance little or no evidence that strict zero tolerance policies have a significant contribution to policies have a significant contribution to reducing student misbehavior or improving reducing student misbehavior or improving school safetyschool safety

Judging by statistics zero tolerance has had Judging by statistics zero tolerance has had no real effectno real effect

Students are reporting crime at the same Students are reporting crime at the same level as in the 1970s, while the number of level as in the 1970s, while the number of youth suspensions has doubled from 3.7% of youth suspensions has doubled from 3.7% of students in 1974 to 6.8% of students in 1998students in 1974 to 6.8% of students in 1998

Effectiveness - Effectiveness - ContinuedContinued Most of the time the students being Most of the time the students being

suspended are repeat offenders, suspended are repeat offenders, suggesting that the at risk students suggesting that the at risk students are not getting the message which are not getting the message which the zero tolerance policy is trying to the zero tolerance policy is trying to send.send.

The long term result of zero tolerance The long term result of zero tolerance and frequent suspension is studetns and frequent suspension is studetns dropping out of schooldropping out of school

Alternatives to Zero Alternatives to Zero ToleranceTolerance

Intervention through anti violence programs Intervention through anti violence programs like anti bullying, anger management, and like anti bullying, anger management, and peer mediation help to reduce discipline peer mediation help to reduce discipline problems in schools.problems in schools.

Building student teacher relationshipsBuilding student teacher relationships More teacher training in classroom More teacher training in classroom

management management Discipline through compassion not an iron Discipline through compassion not an iron

fist.fist. Include a range of less severe consequences Include a range of less severe consequences

which are geared to a variety of offenseswhich are geared to a variety of offenses

Works CitedWorks Cited

USA Today Education News – USA Today Education News – Zero Tolerance Zero Tolerance Policies Lack FlexibilityPolicies Lack Flexibility

History of Zero Tolerance - History of Zero Tolerance - www.buildingblocksforyouth.org/issues/zerotwww.buildingblocksforyouth.org/issues/zerotolerance/facts.htmlolerance/facts.html

National Education Association Today - National Education Association Today - The The Untolerated: What happens to students who Untolerated: What happens to students who run afoul of strict discipline rules?run afoul of strict discipline rules?

Harvard Graduate School of Education News Harvard Graduate School of Education News – – Zero Tolerance for School ViolenceZero Tolerance for School Violence

At Zero Tolerance: Punishment, Preventtion At Zero Tolerance: Punishment, Preventtion and School Violenceand School Violence