Summary Of Zero Tolerance

In the article “Zero Tolerance for Zero Tolerance” by Richard L. Curwin and Allen N. Mednler the authors start by discussing how schools should not use the zero tolerance policy with every student. The Zero tolerance policy was first originally established to help improve safety in schools. This can be done by making sure that all children regardless of their age, race, athletic ability, and or parental influence. The authors explain how the schools used this as an excuse to treat all the students the same. This policy tells the school community, that violent aggressive behavior will not be allowed under any circumstances. As educators and teachers, we need to protect our fellow students by keeping them safe. But sometimes zero tolerance does …show more content…
The first student who was a young high school student was expelled after bringing a gun to school. The reason as to why the student brought the gun to school is the most important part. Which is that morning the students father was drunk at their home, and he pulled a gun out on the student and his brother, by threatening to kill them. As self-defense, the student had to protect his brother and himself. In my opinion, the student should have not been expelled because he had no choice but to protect himself and his sibling. The student was in a life or death situation and he had to think fast. This day in age, schools are having a lot of situations like this one, where the zero tolerance policy cannot be used, because of extreme circumstances. The schools have to realize that there are students who live in these kind of situations, where they have to break serious rules to get themselves out of danger. And a lot of schools say that all students know when they are in these kinds of situations, they are supposed to tell someone. But what the school personnel do not understand and realize is that these students are afraid to tell anyone especially the school. The reason is because if the other person who is doing the dangerous act finds out at home they will make the situation worse for the child. This child has to go home to that environment, they become scared to go home to that person. …show more content…
Their might be a situation where the student was walking on the way to school, and sees one of his friends who is a part of a gang. One of the gang members gives the kid a gun, and tells him if he does not shoot his friend, he is going to shot him instead. In this case the student is in a serious, dangerous situation where he only has two choices, which are to shot his friend or safe himself. And the student decides to shot his friend, but then runs to school, forgetting that the gun is still in his possession. So there was a reason why the kid had the gun in school, to protect himself from getting shot. As a teacher if a child in second grade told me he shot someone, because he had to save his own life, I would right away report it to the school, so that the students are protected. I then would talk to the student about the situation because, they are probably feeling overwhelmed about what happened, and to make sure they know what they did wrong. I would also check to make sure that the student is not in shock. I would also offer the student support from a school