Philosophy Of Zero Tolerance

The philosophy of zero tolerance has dominated the educational landscape since the 1990’s. Originally zero tolerance was developed as an approach to drug enforcement but it has become a mandate for discipline in schools. Zero tolerance mandates the predetermined consequences, most often severe and punitive in nature, that are intended to be applied regardless of the severity of the behavior, mitigating circumstances, or situational context. As educational leaders, our main purpose to ensure a safe environment conducive to learning. The belief is if disruptive, dangerous students are removed it is increases the learning potential for all the other students. Yes, students who pose an immediate danger to fellow students and staff should be removed. The problem however is should common sense and good judgment be used in the zero-tolerance philosophy. Should the same policies and discipline procedures be in place for a kindergartener and a junior in high school? …show more content…
Data has shown the opposite effect, schools with higher rates of suspension and expulsion appear to have lower school climate satisfactory rates. Suspensions and expulsions were thought to rectify the behavior however data does not support that theory. School suspension in general appear to predict higher future rates of misbehavior and more suspensions among those students who are suspended (Bowditch, 1993; Costenbader &Markson, 1998; Raffaele-Mendez, 2003; Tobin,Sugai, & Colvin, 1996). In the long term, school suspension and expulsion are moderately associated with a higher likelihood of school dropout and failure to graduate on time (Bowditch, 1993; Ekstrom,Goertz, Pollack, & Rock, 1986; Wehlage &