Most people don’t give much thought to bad policies or legislation until they affect you, your family or your friends. Last week, I had a personal connection with the folly of Zero Tolerance in our schools.
One of the first things I learned when studying and practicing public policy is the impact of unintended consequences. Often bureaucrats enact public policies at the demands of the public in response to a perceived threat. While designed to solve one problem, they often cause many more. Such is the case with the Zero Tolerance policies at many schools in the United States.
Last week I received a frantic call from a good friend of mine, Stacey Champion. She told me that her son Zane was in danger of being expelled. You can read the full story here. But basically, on February 5th, days before his 11th birthday, Zane got caught with a small penknife in his bag at his school: Arizona School for the Arts. The knife was a gift from his father, Nate who is moving to San Diego. Even though the school administrators admit that this was a mistake, they recommended that he be EXPELLED. They explained to Stacey that while Zane a good kid and didn’t intentionally bring the penknife to school or mean to harm anyone, Zero Tolerance Policy ties the schools hands.
In the words of Stacey, “He’s not a perfect kid, but he’s a good kid, a smart kid.” Sure, he gets in trouble from time to time for the usual boy stuff – teasing girls, horseplay, and sometimes being too talkative and overly exuberant in class. Kid stuff. At the same time, Zane is one of the brightest and friendliest kinds I know. He plays the cello in the school orchestra, as well as the guitar and piano, he volunteers to help the homeless, and is an amazing artist and writer. Whenever I’m with him, I need to remind me that he’s only in 5th grade.
To me, this incident shows the inanity of the Zero Tolerance policy, a policy that takes all discretion out of the hands of decision makers and turns them in to mindless robots whom simply apply rules without considering the evidence or implications. When educators refuse to use common sense and apply critical thinking, how do we expect their students to? Why are we paying them good money for their expertise and judgment when they REFUSE to use it?
The main shortcoming of zero tolerance policies is that they is that treat different threats of ‘violence’ as equally dangerous and deserving of the same consequences. So a 5th grade student who unwittingly brings a penknife to school is treated the same way as a 17 years old who brings a bowie-knife to threaten a teacher. Even Sheriff Joe understands the need for different sentences for offenses of different seriousness.
I have no problem with school discipline policies grounded in common sense. In fact, I can now see that some of the discipline that I received in school made me a better student and, ultimately a stronger citizen. Unfortunately, in the generation that has passed since I was in elementary school, most of the common sense and discretion that made this discipline effective.
We expect our children’s educators to have the skills and knowledge to teach behavior in age-appropriate ways. Unfortunately, zero tolerance is not rooted in theories of pedagogy or child development. It teaches children nothing about fairness, and often creates injustice. Worse yet, there is no credible evidence that zero tolerance reduces violence or drug abuse by students; there are clearly documented unintended, and sometime severe,negative consequences for both schools and students. Such policies have resulted in embarrassing publicity for schools and have been struck down by the courts.
There is a difference between being treated equally and being treated fairly. Kids are not going to respect teachers and administrators who cannot appreciate the difference between a penknife and a switch blade. How is Stacey supposed to teach my child about democracy and justice with a “one punishment fits all” policy? What will expelling Zane from the school he loves teach him? To lie at all costs? To give up? To never admit you made a mistake?
Instead of Zero Tolerance, schools should be promoting anti-violence programs like anti-bullying, anger management, and peer mediation help to reduce discipline problems in schools. Instead of expelling students for a single mistake, they should be involving students, families, and their communities in efforts to provide a safe learning environment and safety in school.
Zane’s case is being heard by the ASA Governing Board, at a closed Board hearing that will be taking place on Tuesday, February 23rd at 5:30 p.m. at the ASA campus. It is here where they will decide whether Zane with be expelled or not.
Friends and neighbors of Stacey will be holding a rally for Zane tomorrow, Tuesday, February 23rd,starting at 5 pm outside of the ASA Campus at 1313 N. 2nd St in Phoenix. If you can, please come out and show, not only your opposition to the blind implementation of zero tolerance policies in our schools, but more importantly to show Zane that not all adults are like his school administrators and that some of use are willing to stand up for basic justice and common sense. Help turn this unfortunate turn of events in to a positive one by showing that there is power in numbers, and positive activism can elicit positive change. You can find out more about the rally, and RSVP here.
In addition, please show your support for Zane and Stacey, and opposition to the wrongheaded implementation of zero tolerance polices by signing this petition. There is power in numbers.
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