Many years ago, our school board asked the superintendent to help write a zero tolerance policy. The board, driven by community input, wanted to improve school climate. The superintendent suggested a zero tolerance policy would have unintended consequences, including higher drop out rates and lower graduation rates. Never-the-less, the board was steadfast on going forward and continues to maintain that position today.
When the policies were implemented, drop out and graduation rates were not widely reported. Today, our rates in those categories are not where we'd like them to be. I've often wondered if our policies were partly to blame for this.
The ABC entertainment show, 20/20, had a segment about school children being arrested for seemingly harmless activities. Schools have more trouble today with children (and parents) who believe rules do not apply to them. Click here to read a post on the subject. There is certainly some truth to the video clip below. There has always been the issue of, "Does the punishment fit the crime" - and the South leads the nation in arrests initiated by school resource officers. As you watch the video, remember, for the most part, you only hear one side of the story (schools are prohibited from discussing discipline issues).
Click here for a link to the video.
When the policies were implemented, drop out and graduation rates were not widely reported. Today, our rates in those categories are not where we'd like them to be. I've often wondered if our policies were partly to blame for this.
The ABC entertainment show, 20/20, had a segment about school children being arrested for seemingly harmless activities. Schools have more trouble today with children (and parents) who believe rules do not apply to them. Click here to read a post on the subject. There is certainly some truth to the video clip below. There has always been the issue of, "Does the punishment fit the crime" - and the South leads the nation in arrests initiated by school resource officers. As you watch the video, remember, for the most part, you only hear one side of the story (schools are prohibited from discussing discipline issues).
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment