Zero Tolerance In Schools

Zero tolerance policies are becoming more present in schools, especially after 9/11 and recent school shootings like Virginia Tech and Sandy Hook. Ultimately, they do not work very well, and are more harmful than good. This is not just a recent problem, as zero tolerance policies have been a part of many schools for decades. Originally started to combat weapons, they are now applied to a whole spectrum of offences including cheating, bullying, drugs, alcohol, and weapons. They state that anyone who violates the school’s policies in these areas is automatically punished. These punishments usually range from suspension to expulsion, and some schools even take legal action.
The main issue with these policies is that they are becoming stricter and as a result more harmful to students’ futures. They do not take into account any of the student 's’ sides of the stories, and are a “one-size-fits-all” type of policy. Some people say that these are lazy, and let the school just brush off the problem rather than properly addressing it. The counter argument is that these policies are harsh and therefore prove a point that you will face consequences for your actions. In the beginning, this actually worked, but as policies became stricter, schools blew the punishments out of proportion compared to the …show more content…
This would make so much sense, and I could agree with this, but it still doesn’t solve the big problem. Removing these kids will not “teach them a lesson”. It is really just criminalizing common school misconduct. Many schools have added school resource officers to their campuses to increase safety, but they are really just adding a police station to schools. This transfers something like disruption of the classroom to the legal system with harsh consequences, rather than staying in the school where the kids might get