This chapter focuses on the Changes in American Society: Their Influences on Today's Schools. After reading the chapter take a position on Zero Tolerance.
In 1994 due to acts of violence in schools Congress passed the Gun-Free Schools Act. This act requires all states who receive federal funds to expel any student for one year who was in possession of a firearm in a school setting. Additional amendments were added to include all weapons and drugs or drug paraphernalia to the act. More than 3/4 of all schools report having zero-tolerance policies.
Read Teaching in an Era of Reform on page 132. Watch Action, Reaction, and Zero Tolerance from the Becoming a Professional DVD.
Comment to this post your position on zero tolerance at this time.
Based on the first letter of your last name respond to the following question:
A-I: Describe the major goals of zero-tolerance policies.
J-R: List advantages and disadvantages of zero-tolerance policies.
S-W: What do you think schools could do to minimize the negative effects of
zero-tolerance policies?
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The obvious advantage of the zero-tolerance policy is that students can feel safer at school. There is less violence and disruptions. However, GI Joe action figures which carry plastic guns shouldn't be the reason a child gets expelled. I understand the "zero-tolerance" but some examples are blown way out of proportion (exspecially with young elementary students)
ReplyDeleteThere are advantages and disadvantages of the zero-tolerance policy. The advantage to having this policy is the safety factor. Students, parents, and teachers can feel comfortable coming to their own environment. Parents have a sense of relaxation knowing that this policy is in affect, and their children will most likely be safe. We want our schools to be as safe as possible with very little influence. I think that this is a great thing.When I was in high school there was a slashing at our school. It was one of the most terrifying experiences I have ever been through. I remember that it was very hard for me to go back to school. It took time for me to feel safe again in that school. I like to see that schools are now stronger about this zero-tolerance policy.
ReplyDeleteThe disadvantage of this however, is that especially with younger children, they are going to most likely bring in toys and things that could fall under the zero-tolerance policy. I don't think it is necessarily fair that a student would get expelled for bringing an action figure into school that may have a little gun attached to it. I think in that sense, it is a little exaggerated.
zero tolerance main goal is to stop any type of violance, bullying, or misbehavior. This is a good thing for schools to use so it will make kids feel safe, and for the misbehaviors knowing hat there will be severe consiquences should slow it down. Thus making it easier for kids that are bullied or picked on to go to school. So they dont have to make up excuses on why they should stay home or like the little boy on the movie and pretend to be sick.
ReplyDeleteHowever zero tolerance should have clear lines of punishment. Like the little boy who got expelled for bringing a toy to school it very easily could have just been taking away and not given back till his parents came and got it. Then the little boy getting expelled for kissing a little girl that is ridiculouse they easily could have just talked to him and told him what he did wrong cause all expelling him did was gave him a week vacation for kissing a girl so why not do it agian.
Many advantages and disadvantages come along with the zero tolerance policy. The main advantage is that all teachers and children should feel safe at school. They know that any small problems will be taken care of and they have no reason to worry. Another advantage to this policy is that the teachers don't really have to wonder what to do about situations. In a zero tolerance policy, action is taken no matter how small the problem is.
ReplyDeleteI believe there are more disadvantages than advantages to this policy. Many children are being punished for small things that they do not even realize is that big of a problem. In other instances, a teacher could simply tell the student that what they are doing is wrong. If it were to happen again, action could be taken. With zero tolerance, the student is in trouble the first time. When these children are taken out of school, they are not learning and are getting in even more trouble. They will get behind and possibly not ever return to school.
I believe the current zero tolerance policy has many advantages and disadvantages. The most important advantage is that the policy gives everyone in the school setting a feeling of safety. At school it is important that students feel they are safe so they are able to learn. In this policy, students who are disrupting the safety of the learning process are removed from the classroom. This policy has set guidelines so that all students who bring weapons, drugs, or alcohol to school are all treated the same and receive the same punishment.
ReplyDeleteWith this policy though, I think it is important to really look at each situation though and make sure there is an intent to either cause harm, disrupt the learning enviornment, or participate in something illegal. Since the punishment is a one year expellion, it is important to make sure the student is really doing something wrong. Expelling a student for bring a toy weapon to school, expecially a young elementary student who most likely doesn't realize how teachers may take it, is extremely harsh and not beneficial to anyone. He didn't mean any harm and missed out on real education during his suspension for a little issue that could of simply been solved by taking the toy away. I think it is important to be realistic in these types of situations as well.
I think zero tolerance is a good policy. I think that it is necessary to have alternative education programs for these students who are expelled to continue educating them and keep them off the streets where they will get into more trouble. I think these students need to be placed in a learning enviornment where they not only get taught the regular curriculum but also take classes that teach them to become productive and responsible citizens to prevent worse behavior.
Schools should be one of the places that children and people feel safe and out of harms way. This is the point of the zero-tolerance policy. This was put in place due to the growing problem of weapons and drugs coming into school systems. However just like every other policy there are some negatives with the zero-tolerance policy.
ReplyDeleteWith the zero-tolerance policy, there are no if's and's or but's about bringing a weapon of any kind into schools. However, we have seen that children that have an action figure that contains a plastic toy gun get into trouble. We have heard of someone with a gun keychain get in trouble. I think that the severity of this policy may actually be a negative. I believe that the administration and teachers need to look at each situation as a whole. They need to do more investigating and less assuming. If they would look at every situation in detail rather than just severly punishing on the lines of assumption, this policy may not be looked at as negatively.
Zero-tolerance has both advantages and disadvantages. A clear advantage is the sense of safety to not only the students but faculty and parents as well. For many students, school is the only safe place to go. With the policy being so broad in definition it causes students to think about what they want and are going to do. In addition, all students receive the same punishment, regardless of the infraction.
ReplyDeleteThere are also many disadvantages. For example the kids in New Jersey were just pretending but were reported to law-enforcement caused one of the students to hate school because he was labeled. Due to so many children being suspended and expelled the annual rate has increased significantly. Many students when suspended or expelled aren’t sent to alternative programs and often spend their time unsupervised at home, resulting in students falling behind academically. I think the consequences should be handled on a case-by-case basis, and not a broad rule for any infraction.
When first deciding on my stance on Zero Tolerance, I was definitely for it. After watching the video and learning more about it, I am not so sure how much I support the current policy. I do feel that people who bring guns, drugs, and other harmful things into schools should be punished. However, I do not feel that the extent to which everything has been taken is positive. Not allowing a school mascot to carry a cardboard sword, and taking police action against two 8 year olds playing with paper guns just seems too extreme. Isolated incidents caused the school systems to go a little overboard. I feel that the school systems should realize what are dangerous actions versus innocent mistakes, and they should treat these things accordingly. This would stop a lot of the negative feelings toward this rule. It is a great way to keep history from repeating itself, if used correctly. Plus, if schools plan on keeping things the way they are, then they need to better inform parents about the severity of the policy. This way, they can make sure their children understand what is and is not acceptable in order to keep them from getting caught up in the politics of it all.
ReplyDeleteWhen you hear the words zero tolerance you often think that is a great idea. After reading the text I realized that while it sounds good, in reality, the aftermath is worse. I agree that some strong forms of punishment need to be taken when a student endangers the safety of others, both physically and emotionally. But with zero tolerance policies, like the text mentioned, students who get expelled have the tendency to fall into more trouble. Obviously the students who are willing to endanger others and risk being expelled aren't going to care if they are expelled. It is important that schools have zero tolerance policies yet, I think that they need to be revised. For example, if a student brings in a weapon of some sort then yes, they need to leave the school they are at, but, they should be required to attend some alternative school and receive counseling to sort out their mental instabilities. When it comes to drugs on the other hand, I don't feel that it is neccessary for students to be expelled for the whole year. I think they should be required to stay in school, be on a strict academic probation, and be required to attend drug rehab programs. These are ways that schools can keep students safe as well as help the ones who need help. This would resolve both problems on both sides of the table. Offenders could easily attend school at a local JDC and recieve education and not fall behind. It would also help students see that people do care for them and do want them to succeed and better themselves.
ReplyDeleteC- The goals of Zero Tolerance programs are to keep students safe first of all. Secondly, to also discourage students from getting involved in the type of behavior that is potentially harmful to others and themselves.
When it comes to zero-tolerance in our school systems I support it. I support expelling students for a year who bring a weapon or drugs to school. School is a place for students to learn and grow. It is not a place for students to fear for their life or be frightened. Even though the expelled students may not return to school, this is a sacrifice that should be taken. Why should we risk the lives of innocent students to keep delinquent students in school? I will say that I do not agree with the schools that exaggerate this policy and suspend students for a little GI-Joe doll gun. The zero tolerance should be uniform throughout the schools, to make it even and fair to all the students.
ReplyDeleteThe major goals of the zero tolerance policy are to completely eliminate weapons and drugs from the school system. The policy is aiming to make schools as safe as possible. I believe the strict policy also inflicts fear so the children will completely obey the policy, even if it means they cannot play cops and robbers. The zero tolerance policy also has a goal for all faculty to not allow any exceptions and to report every incident.
I believe that some ways to decrease the negative effects of zero-tolerance policies would be to not make the policies so harsh. I think that it is absolutely ridiculous that the young boy from New Jersey got suspended for running around with a paper gun. That is what little boys do when they are young, they play cops and robbers, or police games in general where you have to use a gun. And to claim that as terroristic attacks is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard, because the kid can't do anything but maybe give someone a paper cut and he would have to try pretty hard in order for that to happen. To make the effects negative there should much more lenient rules. In stead of having a zero-tolerance, maybe they should have a 11-tolerance. Just don't make it so that the kids feel like they are prison or walking around like drones.
ReplyDeleteI believe that in 1994 when the Gun-Free Schools Act began it was meant as a good thing. That students could feel safe in school because there would be stricter rules on firearms. Yet like a lot of things in society we added an extra rule that now has blown this Act out of proportion. I believe that children that bring guns or drugs or threaten other students should be punished. I don’t believe that a child that’s already doing drugs on school property is going to benefit from being expelled for a year.
ReplyDeleteI think that the first thing a school should do to minimize the negative effects of zero-tolerance is to take a step back and actually look at the situation. A six year old bring a G.I Joe to school was never meant to injure or harm any other students and probably brought it in for show and tell. In that case I think a simple note home to the parents telling them how you as a teacher would appreciate if no more toy guns were brought into school. It was probably an honest mistake. I also think that expelling a child should always be the last resort because there rate of actually graduating decreases once they’ve been expelled. If a student brings a gun to school then I feel expulsion is appropriate. I really feel that having an alternative plan for these children would be the best thing. Where my sister teacher the children that are suspended are sent to a separate building where they serve their time. Someone is there to make sure their homework is done and then they aren’t sleeping till noon and playing video games the rest of the day. I think this is a great thing and definitely a better option.
I believe that zero tolerance has many advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage is that all students can come to school and feel safe from drugs, weapons, and alchohol. It should be comforting to students to realize that it is such an extreme issue that their classmates will be less likely to bring anything harmful to school. It's disadvantage would be that some of the petty little things people are getting expelled for. Especially the young children that do not know anybetter and didn't mean any harm by it. For those incidents where maybe a paper gun is made or an improper toy is brought to school, I think a phone call should be made to the parents and the teacher should take note that it was brought, but it should be let go expecially the first time with young students.
ReplyDeleteThe Zero Tolerance has many advantages and disadvantages. A big advantage to the policy is that it gives students, parents, and teachers a sense of ease. It allows them to feel safe at school from situations like school shooting or threats from other students. However, some disadvantages of zero tolerance is that students shouldn't be expelled for bringing action. figures that have little plastic gun assessories, for example the little green army men or even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toys.
ReplyDeleteI support the zero-tolerance policy in schools. Students should not have to be afraid while in class. They are in school to learn and to gain more and more knowledge. Students cannot focus on studies if they are afraid for their life. School shouldn’t be scary for students, and your life should never feel threatened while you are in school. The zero-tolerance policies should be the same for school throughout the US, by doing so we can make our school systems safer and more successful.
ReplyDeleteThe zero-tolerance policy has a few goals. First, the schools want to maintain a safe and disciplines learning environment. Second, schools want to prevent violence in schools. Third, removal of students who are breaking the rules will make learning for other students more successful. Learning will be more successful for other students because they won’t be in fear while in school. Fourth, the zero-tolerance policy will improve student behavior and discipline by punishing those who go against the school guidelines.
In most cases I support the zero tolerance laws. I feel that in most cases the students end up doomed to fail in school systems. I feel that once they are labeled a trouble maker it stays that way. Unless they have a strict support system at home, I do not feel that students can overcome being expelled or anything else. Its still scary to them even if they knew what they were actually doing. Sometimes the student just doesn't understand and then they are marked the rest of their school career. I mean I support it, but maybe there should be more help for those troubled students. That way the schools can stay safe.
ReplyDeleteHere are some of the goals of the zero tolerance policy. The schools want to maintain a safe and discipline learning environment. The removal of students who are breaking the rules will make help other students be more successful. Next, schools want to prevent violence. The zero-tolerance policy will improve student behavior and discipline by punishing those who go against it.
My personal stance on the zero tolerance policy is a bit mixed. While I totally agree with the idea that a very serious movement is necessary to eliminate drugs in schools, I feel that a no excuses, zero tolerance policy can be a bit harsh in rare occasions. However, I do feel that a rare overreaction from time to time is just the price you have to pay in order to keep schools- students and teachers both included- safe.
ReplyDeleteThe major goals of a zero tolerance policy are pretty clear. First and foremost is the goal to eliminate weapons and drugs from the schools. Second is to show kids that the administration is serious about these offenses and you will be punished severely for your actions, therfore in theory discouraging kids from testing the limits.
Zero tolerance implies the expulsion of a student who is in violation of certain rules, no if's, and's or but's about it. But a student might bring a gun to school, if he thinks his safety is in jepoardy in route to and from school, and he feels like he has no other option to ensure his safety. Zero tolerance benefits the students who are not directly effected by expulsion due to a violation of the rules imposed by the policy. For these students a much safer learning environment is created, where they can learn with out being in fear for their safety. However, for the students caught in the middle of a reform in it's developing stages it can be a nail in the coffin of a failed attempt at education. This also results in long term affects on an individuals life.
ReplyDeleteIn my case; my senior year of high school I had since past having much concern for school because of my involvment with drugs. I had completed enough already in my earlier years of school to finish with my diploma. However, because of my involvment with the wrong people I eneded up in a situation where I was caught with rolling papers, paraphenialia, and was ex[pelled for the rest of the year two months before graduating. Over the summer when I was taking classes to complete my diploma my girlfriend was killed in a car accident. At this point my pursuit of completing high school seemed much less of a concern, but if I had not violated a rule in accorance with the zero tolerance policy I would have had my diploma before this happened. As it turned out I ended up getting my GED two years later and have since moved on to complete several succesful years of college.
There are several probelems identified with the zero tolerance policy. First the annual U.S. suspension rate has increased dramaticall because of it. Second, the likelyhood of truancy and crime are greater because only 56% of students expelled are sent to alternative placement, while the rest are sent home to fend for themselves. The third reason is because uniformed implimentation of these policies does not occur. This is the reason I think that for zero tolerance to be reasonable the schools that practice it should be should only be those involved in School Development Programs so the people making the decision have a comprehensive perspective on students lives. The fouth reason as in my case is because these policies don't discriminate between major and minor disruptions, leading to students being punished for trivial transgressions. And finally, zero tolerance point to a disproportionate effect on members of cultural minorities. Tis also leads to stereotypes of/and low expectations.