Discipline With Overkill

Zero-tolerance initially sounds good, doesn't it? Florida is learning that it can backfire.

What can happen if zero-tolerance is abused or misunderstood? Florida just found out. Peter Bailey, of The Miami Herald, reports that a blend of a zero-tolerance policy and police in the schools is leaving people wondering if this is a good thing.

Overreaction?

Under zero-tolerance, teachers are often turning over the discipling of students to police instead of administration and parents. For example, in Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale area) a student was watching a fight between two students and yelled, "Whoo-whoo." That student was criminally charged with disruption of a school function. The result of this new zero-tolerance policy is the juvenile courts being flooded with minor infractions that should have been settled in the school.

Parent Reaction

Parents are very angry that internal discipline is not being used to isolate students by removing them through in-school suspensions. Another concern is that disabled students are a very high proportion of those turned over to police.

Adjustments Made

Miami-Dade School District is listening to parent complaints and has put into place a citation program. Students will now receive two citations (warnings) before being turned over to police and juvenile authorities.

The bottom line was unclear guidelines that left teachers unsure and confused. The new and improved zero-tolerance policy is now going to be reserved for the most major threats that deserve police interventions.

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Copyright article 2006 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.