Time to rethink 'zero tolerance' policy
Community columnist Inga Barks makes a point about zero-tolerance rules that cannot be emphasized enough ("Zero-tolerance policies need fresh look," Feb. 27). For school discipline to be effective, it must be proportionate and fair.
Every school district in every state has some form of "zero tolerance," mandated by the 1994 Gun-Free Schools Act. It's been said before, but it's worth repeating: zero tolerance equals zero intelligence.
And that's the point. Very few states allow for any discretion in applying the rules. (California law allows for more discretion than many districts realize, however.) As a result, school administrators treat a tiny toy gun the same as a loaded handgun; a two-inch utility knife is the same as a switchblade; and aspirin is the same as amphetamine. It's outrageous.
Happily, sanity and common sense are returning in some corners of the country.
Just last week, the school board in Portland, Ore., voted to let principals consider a student's intent and disciplinary history when applying the district's "zero-tolerance" policy. It's a start.
BEN BOYCHUK
Managing Editor
School Reform News
The Heartland Institute
Chicago, Ill.
