Introduction
One of the growing societal issues in the United States is the increasing number of juveniles tracking out of the education system and into the criminal justice system. While this trend is influenced by a variety of factors, many site a direct correlation to zero tolerance policies in our schools. Of equal concern is the high percentage of incarcerated youth belonging to minority groups. Are there systemic flaws in our educational system that can be blamed for these trends? If so, shouldn’t there be a greater sense of urgency amongst our politicians, school and community leaders, and families to demand reform to a system that isn’t producing?
Background
During the past 40 years there has been a dramatic escalation in …show more content…
These suspensions, expulsions, and arrests can be life altering. Suspension from school is the number one predictor of whether children will dropout of school and walk down a road that includes greater likelihood of imprisonment (Flannery 2015). (Curtis, 2014) points out that one justification for zero tolerance policies is based on a desire to treat students fairly and consistently. Proponents also say that zero tolerance helps school administrators treat like offenses alike. On the contrary, research suggests that harsh disciplinary practices can contribute to negative school outcomes. A longitudinal study of a Florida school district found that out-of-school suspensions predicted future suspensions (Curtis,
One of the growing societal issues in the United States is the increasing number of juveniles tracking out of the education system and into the criminal justice system. While this trend is influenced by a variety of factors, many site a direct correlation to zero tolerance policies in our schools. Of equal concern is the high percentage of incarcerated youth belonging to minority groups. Are there systemic flaws in our educational system that can be blamed for these trends? If so, shouldn’t there be a greater sense of urgency amongst our politicians, school and community leaders, and families to demand reform to a system that isn’t producing?
Background
During the past 40 years there has been a dramatic escalation in …show more content…
These suspensions, expulsions, and arrests can be life altering. Suspension from school is the number one predictor of whether children will dropout of school and walk down a road that includes greater likelihood of imprisonment (Flannery 2015). (Curtis, 2014) points out that one justification for zero tolerance policies is based on a desire to treat students fairly and consistently. Proponents also say that zero tolerance helps school administrators treat like offenses alike. On the contrary, research suggests that harsh disciplinary practices can contribute to negative school outcomes. A longitudinal study of a Florida school district found that out-of-school suspensions predicted future suspensions (Curtis,