Essay on Zero Tolerance in Schools - 987 Words

Contemporary Issue Paper Zero tolerance has become the latest contemporary educational issue for the Christian school leader. Zero tolerance policies mandate predetermined consequences for specific offenses. According to a government study, more than three quarters of all U.S. schools reported having zero tolerance policies (Holloway, 2002). Systematic guidelines of enforcing zero tolerance require educational leaders to impose a predetermined punishment, regardless of individual culpability or extenuating circumstances (Gorman Pauken, 2003). Ethical decision making and the opportunity to apply Biblical principles have taken a back seat to reactive discipline by school leaders. Societal expectations have forced proactive educational†¦show more content†¦School violence has become of the most pressing educational problems in the United States. Gang violence and high profile shootings across the nation cause concern within schools. Communities struggle to understand why these events take place a nd how they can be prevented. The overwhelming response to solve the issue of violence in schools is the increasing societal pressure to execute zero tolerance. Zero tolerance is driven by the educational philosophy, policies, and practices of school communities. Stakeholders expect schools to be a safe place for staff and for students. Stakeholders assume that a positive classroom environment, safe students, and school enjoyment are conditions necessary to create a positive climate where learning takes place. This assumption can be backed with research. A calm classroom environment, teachers’ management of disruptive behavior, and students’ view of school safety are factors that have been found to directly correlate with student achievement in the classroom (Ma Willms, 2004). Safety and a feeling of not being threatened during school hours have been found to be important to students’ achievement. Failure to remove a disruptive or an unruly student from school has been found to have a negative impact on achievement and creates a great risk to school staff and students (Garbarino et al., 1992). Teachers cannot teach and students cannot learn in anShow MoreRelatedZero Tolerance In Schools1295 Words   |  6 Pagesrealize what children in the middle and high school level go through on a daily basis while in school. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, 2016 more than one out of every five students report being bullied at school. An intimidating physical threat at times involving aggression towards another, actions including hitting, pushing, punching, threatening, and teasing – bullying. One way to reduce bullying would be zero tolerance. This is a policy of not allowing any violationsRead MoreThe Zero Tolerance School Policies856 Words   |  4 Pagescontributed so much on the topic â€Å"zero tolerance school policies†. There are some important key concepts from the course that connect with my project that I will be discussing. I will also be talking about what it takes to be an ally and why we chose our ally. Considering a critical social theory lens is very important as well and I will be discussing this too. I learned so much from working on this project. To begin, I learned the history behind why zero tolerance school policies exist. These strictRead MoreZero Tolerance And Its Effects On School Safety Essay1846 Words   |  8 PagesZERO TOLERANCE There are hundreds if not thousands of students in any given school. The sheer size and magnitude of the student population encompassed in these schools leads to complications of school safety. Zero tolerance is a policy which was brought about enforcing school safety more firmly, and aimed to better protect students. However, the way in which these students are protected is highly debatable, making the zero tolerance ideology very controversial. Exactly which approach is most effectiveRead MoreZero Tolerance Policies And School Discipline10009 Words   |  41 Pagesthat funnels millions of students from school into the juvenile justice system (Robinson, 2013). This dilemma, known as the school-to-prison pipeline is garnering much attention in Virginia due to the states continued issues in overcoming the phenomenon. This study explores zero tolerance policies and school discipline to better understand its effect in to bring awareness to an issue that may help in dismantling this pipeline. Particularly looking at those school divisions within Virginia that haveRead MoreZero Tolerance And Its Contribution On The School And Prison Pipeline1446 Words   |  6 PagesZero Tolerance and its Contribution to the School-to-Prison Pipeline A trend has developed in our society in recent decades. This concerning trend shows that African American youth are finding their way into the criminal justice system at a much higher rate than their peers. This trend starts in schools where students as young as fifth graders are being suspended from school for minor issues. Police officers are being used more and more to handle situations in the schools rather than teachers. DoesRead MoreZero Tolerance Policies in American Schools Essay874 Words   |  4 PagesIn all grades of education, from kindergarten to college, there is a form of discipline known as a zero tolerance policy. While the exact wording is different from school to school, basically a zero tolerance policy means that a student is immediately suspended, asked to attend an alternative school, or expelled if they are suspected or caught doing certain things. These policies are in place to hopefully deter students from doing drugs or being violent, but the ethics behind them are questionableRead MoreUse and Application of the Zero Tolerance Policy in American Schools1773 Words   |  8 Pages In an effort to maintain peace, safety and a disciplined environment conducive to effective teaching and learning, many schools have adopted the zero tolerance policy. This philosophy was originally created in the 1990’s as an approach towards drug enforcement to address the rampant use, possession and sales of drugs in schools (Jones, 2013). Today, this policy is used to mandate the application of pre-determined consequences of violation of stated rules. These rules may pertain to a number of issues;Read MoreSchools Should Eliminate the Use of Zero-Tolerance Policies Essay969 Words   |  4 Pages The public schools of the United States, despite their proud past, are currently experiencing many difficulties. They seem to be under constant scrutiny and pressure to produce higher academic achievement and at the same time are being criticized by large segments of society. It is no secret that the environment which students experience in the public schools has changed greatly over the past twenty to thirty years, but there are many possible reasons for this; most of these explanations do notRead MoreZero Tolerance Unfairly Targets Minority Middle School Students1243 Words   |  5 PagesProblem Statement The problem for which resolution would be sought is that zero tolerance unfairly targets minority middle school students. Because of this policy, minority students have shown the tendency to be academically unsuccessful and are more prone to engage in misbehaviors that could lead to suspension or expulsion from school. It is for the sake of all of the children in American school districts that administrators, educators, and parents work together in order to determine the exact causeRead MoreCriminalization at School: Zero-Tolerance Discipline Policies Might Be Damaging to Students1309 Words   |  6 Pagesindefinite suspension with a recommendation for expulsion because his school administrators believed he flashed a gang sign although he was simply putting up three fingers to represent his football jersey number. (NPR Isensee, 2014). This kind of criminalization of young people contributes to suspension, dropout, and incarceration, and too often pushes students into what is refer red to by many education scholars and activists as the â€Å"school-to-prison pipeline,† a term that refers to â€Å"the policies and practices