Shootings at schools over the last few years have caused many school districts to create a zero-tolerance policy. Under such policies, schools hand out tough punishments for violations big and small. (For example, in some schools, a kid gets in as much trouble for carrying a butter knife as he or she would for carrying a gun, and bringing aspirin to school is as bad as bringing pot.) Zero tolerance often means kids get expelled from school or sent to court. Last week, the biggest lawyers group in the country, the American Bar Association, had its annual conference. And one thing the group spoke out against was zero tolerance. The group said the policy isn’t fair, and it pointed out a few extreme cases: a kindergartner who got into trouble on Halloween for a plastic ax that was part of his firefighter’s costume, and a 6th grader who was suspended because her Tweety Bird key chain was too long and could be considered a weapon.
We asked our Scoop Troopers to weigh in on this topic:
Are schools cracking down too hard on kids, or does the zero-tolerance policy make you feel safer at school?
[Their answers are scattered around this page.]Across the country, schools are easing up
Just a few years after zero-tolerance policies swept into the nation’s schools to fight drugs and violence, some public schools are softening the rules. The changes have been prompted by a number of cases in which educators found that mandatory expulsions and suspensions were too harsh for relatively minor offenses.
“We were just throwing kids out,” Ed Harcharik told the Los Angeles Times. He’s the assistant superintendent of the Brea Linda schools in north Orange County, Calif., which recently switched to a more flexible set of rules.
Many school districts that adopted the tough zero-tolerance policies continue to defend them, saying they have drastically reduced violence. But a growing number of districts are changing their policies subtly and without fanfare.
“It’s taken about five years . . . but I started noticing it last year that schools are rethinking it,” John Whitehead said. He’s president of the Rutherford Institute, a legal education group that has fought against zero-tolerance policies in court.
“I think, psychologically, schools are still using the term ‘zero tolerance,’ ” Whitehead said, “but they’re starting to use a little more common sense and discretion.”
Andrew F., 10, Glen Ellyn:
“Zero tolerance is perfectly fine when it is involving weapons, drugs and violence in schools. The two examples about the plastic ax and the keychain are going too far. Zero-tolerance policies should be reviewed to see if the punishment is too harsh for the kid’s wrongdoing.”
Ashley K., 13, Naperville:
“I find that zero tolerance is a ridiculous policy! Why must it be so black and white with schools? There has to be a gray area to maintain some level of sanity! I completely understand that schools have the responsibility to keep the students safe, but we also must be reasonable. I believe that school administrators are smart enough to tell the difference between a real weapon and a plastic Halloween prop. The idea of zero tolerance is just extreme paranoia.”
Courtney B., 13, Chicago:
“They should have some security, but this is going overboard. But on the other hand, with all the violence and lawsuits, they might think we need more protection.”
Joe Z., 13, Palatine:
“I don’t think that the schools can have a rule that is applied mechanically, because unfair situations would arise. For example, if the school has a no-drugs policy, I think getting in trouble for aspirin makes the whole policy seem silly. I think weapons are more of a threat than drugs. I would feel safer at school if there were a no-tolerance policy on weapons or anything that could be used as a weapon.”
Nate G., 15, Chicago:
“Under zero tolerance, groups that are considered outsiders are often watched carefully for similarities between the groups held responsible in other school shootings or disciplinary incidents. Clearly, school officials must protect their students, but is zero tolerance a help or a hindrance? Does it not further alienate those students who are being watched more carefully?”
Kylee E., 11, Naperville:
“I agree with zero tolerance, even though a couple cases seem ridiculous. I think it is necessary to have clear, strict rules as well as punishment for those who break the rules. It is the only way to keep our schools safe.”
Nick F., 12, Chicago:
“I feel safe in my school, but if I knew there were kids with guns, knives or drugs, I would want this zero-tolerance policy. But I think if my school ever needed a zero-tolerance policy, I wouldn’t want to go there anymore. I don’t want to go to a school where teachers are policemen.”
Matthew S., 15, Lisle:
“Cracking down via zero tolerance is a good thing. But one issue that might be a problem is communicating this policy to the students of the school. All students must understand that if they mess up once, then zero tolerance will go into effect. If not properly communicated, punishment from a zero-tolerance policy would be unfair.”
Katherine B., 12, Skokie:
“I think having a zero-tolerance policy is critical for all schools because it can help ensure a fair and equitable discipline policy. Unfortunately, many school administrations will still give students of certain races more harsh punishments for a specific policy violation than it would give to other students for the same violation. The sad thing is this policy is only necessary because people lack a basic integrity, honesty and sense of fairness.”
Nora F., 13, LaGrange Park:
“If a Tweety Bird key chain could be a weapon, anything could. They might as well outlaw paper because it might be used to give people paper cuts! Zero tolerance could be all right if school districts know where to draw the line.” Illustrations by John Corbitt.
———-
Ever talk about current events at school?
If so, we want you for our new feature, Look Who’s Talking. Show this page to your teacher and have him or her contact us. Here’s how Look Who’s Talking will work, beginning late next month: Each Monday, we’ll come up with a question “ripped from the headlines,” as they say on TV’s “Law & Order,” then e-mail it to an interested teacher. (We’ll keep teachers’ names on file and make sure each class gets a fair chance; teachers are free to contact us to join the list anytime.) After a teacher gets the question, he or she will discuss it with the class, then e-mail us students’ comments by Wednesday of that week. At the end of the year, we’ll pick the class with the best comments and provide an in-class pizza party for them. Up for it? Then have your teacher contact KidNews staff writer Patrick Kampert by e-mail (pkampert@tribune.com) or by phone (815-356-2282).
So start talking — cuz we hear ya!
