It is too early to know whether the current wave of school reforms will lead to lasting improvements in student achievement. But it is not too early to note that many of these reforms have a troubling consequence: a doubling-down on harsh, ineffective zero-tolerance discipline policies. All too often, the debate about school reform has wrongly emphasized pushing troubled children out of school, rather than making systemic improvements so that all students have the support they need to learn.
For that reason, advocates nationwide are embracing efforts to improve school climate. School leaders are recognizing the ineffectiveness of zero tolerance. And as states grapple with untenable youth-prison budgets and Congress prepares to debate reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, a movement is building to end the ineffective, expensive, and tragic era of zero tolerance.
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8 comments:
What needs to end is DUMB applications of zero tolerance.
But what is also needed is MORE discipline, not less.
Part of our education problem is keeping order in the classrooms, and it's the liberal policies that have caused that.
Totally agree. Give teacher the ability to discipline students again and much of our education problem will be diminished. Not only are liberal policies to blame but so are parents that never think their child is in the wrong and don't want a teacher discipling their child. Discipline starts at home. When I was disruptive in school I was disciplined but when I was disruptive or rude at home I was "really disciplined". I quickly learned that being rude and disruptive didn't have a good end result. Students today have no fear of being disciplined at home or at school.
huh read todays Star Democrat. Kid gets charged after a lacrosse team bus search. They found a knife commonly used to maintain lacrosse equipment and charge the kid. WTF
921
This is an example, of trying to make an example of a child. Can't speak for other counties or schools, but there is no discipline at the school where my 3 attend. So if there ever was a zero tolerance policy, they just ignored it like everything else.
Our schools tolerate almost every misbehavior imaginable. The goal is to keep everyone in school, even if students who behave are fearful and have trouble getting an education because the thugs are running the classrooms. Our county never had zero tolerance, we have 100% tolerance. The concern is always for the ones who misbehave, never for the ones who know why they come to school.
Bring back the paddle to the Principal's office and the switch at home for the parents once the school's done with the kid and things might improve.
I was in the Principal's office ONE time when I was going to school. By the time I got 10 licks with the paddle and then got my butt busted at home that night, I never ended up in the Principal's office again!
Kids nowadays are not taught that their actions have consequences because a majority of the parents raising them just don't care!
12:43 PM
i think the adults that are in charge now were the kids who got the paddle and are now in a position to eliminate it.
Maybe a kind of payback in their minds for being punished and humiliated.
They were screw ups then and now they screwed up the system and society in general.
Do you think they care? Heck no.
I think they should be made to respect their teachers. Also, no hat wearing in school building, make uniforms mandatory in public schools, no altering uniforms and no pants low enough to expose your buttocks.
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