As I was watching the local news last evening, I happened to see a segment on the issue of zero tolerance on there. Basically, local school districts were giving their policies and procedures as to how they handle this problem within their schools. The parents were complaining that zero tolerance was too strict and needed to be handled on a case to case basis. Schools have implemented this policy for quite some time in order to cut down on criminal behavior, catch the bullying going on and to basically keep weapons off campus so school will be safe for all students.
Recently, a kindergarten child was suspended for bringing a camping utensil to school. Another case happened when a first grader brought a knife to school. There was an incident in this nation where a 3rd grade child brought a kitchen knife from home to school. Why? A 5th grade bully threatened to rape him the next day. So, it was brought for protection. True, there are some who have brought weapons to school to start a fight or to do harm to others. It is important that we catch those who are planning to do harm to others in some way.
Lets face it; zero tolerance is too strict. It needs to be handled on a case by case basis. Gangs who bring weapons to school to hurt others should be suspended or expelled. Same with anyone who brings a weapon to do any harm to another person. However, what is a five year old going to know about a camping utensil? I highly doubt this child has threatened another in some way. Also, many bullied kids bring weapons as a way to protect themselves. When a school does not listen and the child is continually abused on a daily basis, he/she begins to feel helpless and looks for a way for protection. Its not going to come from peers or the school so they bring a weapon to school. The student gets caught and gets expelled for having the weapon while the bully walks without any punishment. After all, zero tolerance is zero tolerance.
Folks, the concept is not a bad one. Its just that in cases of Peer Abuse and the B word, the wrong kids are being caught and punished. In doing so, it reinforces the kid who is being abused that their rights, feelings or self as a whole is not nearly as valued as that of the bully. We all know life is not fair. However, must we continue to reinforce this to these kids already in pain? We all have rights in this nation, lets not ever forget that.
Elizabeth Bennett is the author of Peer Abuse Know More: Bullying From a Psychological Perspective. Visit Peer Abuse Know More! to learn more.
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2 users commented in " Zero Tolerance too Strict? "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackI agree, a ‘zero tolerance’ policy is not only too strict, but it can inadvertently harm those children who were innocently doing what comes naturally to them…being children. I recall an incident a few years ago when a youngster took his french fry from his lunch tray. He held it like it was a gun, pointed it at someone, and said, ‘Pow’. And the hammer came down.
We are not allowing our children to act like kids. When I read that story, I got a chill. That was EXACTLY like something my sons would do…like many boys (and a few girls) would try. It’s pretend. Make believe. Imagination! It’s ‘cowboys and Indians’! (Although, in today’s politically correct world, perhaps I should say, ‘cattlepersons and Native Americans’! Every child cannot be presumed to be ‘bad’ just because they display the occasional lack of inhibition or pull a ‘bonehead moment’. We need to find a way to concentrate on the real problems, and stop thinking a ‘one size fits all’ approach is going to work.
Our children need to be children, and not tagged as ‘trouble’ unnecessarily. It will take hard work and vigilance, but it is, in my opinion, worth it.
Respectfully submitted,
Karen Bessey Pease
Author of YA fiction
Grumble Bluff
Thank you Karen for commenting on my blog. Children do need to be able to be children. What I believe children are lacking today is empathy and good manners. It is not hard to teach these at all but I guess values and have an understanding of others around us is not as important as it once was.
Zero tolerance tends to get the wrong children as well. I have known of children taking a knife or other object to school for protection from a bully and whala! The child gets expelled no questions asked while the bully goes on ahead like nothing ever happened. There is no accountablity in this and there needs to be investigations as to why these items are even brought to school.
Again, thank you and have a great weekend!
Take Care,
Elizabeth
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