Conservative Libertarian Outpost

by Bill Winter

Zero tolerance or zero usefulness?

Libertarians have long mocked the “zero tolerance” policies being
enforced at many government schools. Now, the American Psychological
Association has issued a report that confirms libertarians’ doubts:
such policies not only don’t work, but may actually encourage more
misbehavior among students.

The “zero tolerance” movement made its appearance in the mid-1990s when
politicians decided to crack down on violence and drugs in schools. The
best way to achieve safer schools, politicians decided, was to have
“zero tolerance” for any infraction. So, they passed laws requiring
schools to expel or suspend students for any violation of school
policies.

This zero-tolerance nonsense quickly spread to schools around the
nation — and journalists quickly started noticing the absurd results.
Some examples:

* In Colorado, a 6-year-old was suspended for violating the school’s
anti-drug policy when he shared a lemon-drop candy with a friend.

* In New Jersey, two kindergarten students were suspended for violating
the school’s weapons policy when they pointed their fingers at each
other and shouted, “Bang Bang!”

* In Georgia, a high school senior was suspended for kissing his
girlfriend on the forehead in the school hallway. The sinful smooch
violated the school’s policy against “inappropriate contact.”

* In Virginia, eight students were suspended after they were caught
sniffing Kool-Aid. They were charged with “possession of contraband”
because they used the powdered drink mix “in a way that imitated the
use of illegal drugs,” school officials explained.

* In Maryland, a 9-year-old was suspended when he drew a picture of a
gun on a piece of paper.

Of course, such hysterical overreactions to harmless behavior doesn’t
really keep students safe. Lemon drops and pointed fingers posed no
danger to America’s youth. And to the degree that school officials
focused on such trifling transgressions while ignoring real potential
dangers, students were actually less safe.

That’s what the American Psychological Association (APA) said on August
9, 2006. According to USA Today, the APA “called for more flexibility
and common sense in applying the policies, reserving zero tolerance for
the most serious threats to school safety.”

An APA spokesman said, “The ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach isn’t working.
Bringing aspirin to school is not the same as bringing cocaine. A
plastic knife isn’t the same as a handgun.”

Even worse, zero-tolerance policies may actually harm students. Studies
show that students perform worse academically in schools with high
suspension or expulsion rates, according to the APA. Further, students
who are suspended (even for minor offenses) are more likely to drop out
of school than other students.

Interestingly, the APA wasn’t the first organization to reach these
conclusions. In 2001, the American Bar Association voted to recommend
an end to zero-tolerance policies. The ABA said such policies are a
“one-size-fits-all solution” and have “redefined students as
criminals.”

Regretfully, politicians didn’t listen to such commonsense advice from
lawyers. Perhaps they’ll listen to psychiatrists — before misguided
zero-tolerance policies create more lemon-drop candy-eating
“criminals.”

Source: USA Today (August 9, 2006)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-08-09-zero-tolerance_x.htm

This is a clear case of stupid is as stupid does. Zero tolerance is a failed policy that leads to oppression and abuse. I cannot even begin to address all of the utterly stupid things that happened to students here in Colorado after the Columbine High School tragedy. The same with so-called child abuse as well as domestic violence. Recently the act of falsely accusing a person and getting a restraining order is becoming a popular venue for easily destroying a person. Even if you do eventually succeed in getting it removed the record is always going to be there and the results will, not may be, socially devastating.

Zero tolerance is authoritarianism run amok.

This entry was posted on August 17, 2006 at 10:45 and is filed under Stupid is as Stupid Does. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.