Zero Tolerance policies penetrated American schooling in the early 1990s. A generation later, it could be argued that the verdict is on the effectiveness and damage of this approach. However, Zero Tolerance policies are now more destructive than ever, especially for poor and minority students.
We covered this topic in depth in the Kids Are Not Defective series, but because this is still such an important issue, I wanted to use today's show to offer some effective talking points in your schooling vs. education discussions. The discussion is based around a policy brief from the Vera Institute called A Generation Later: What We’ve Learned about Zero Tolerance in Schools
Look Closer:
Mike Males Articles - http://home.earthlink.net/~mmales/
Trashing Teens: Psychologist Robert Epstein argues in a provocative book, "The Case Against Adolescence," that teens are far more competent than we assume - http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200703/trashing-teens
Zero Tolerance Policies: no substitute for good judgment - http://everydaypsychology.com/2009/03/zero-tolerance-policies-no-substi…
Ease Up On 'No Tolerance' Policies, U.S. Agencies Tell Schools - http://nhpr.org/post/ease-no-tolerance-policies-us-agencies-tell-schools
APA:Are Zero Tolerance Policies Effective in the Schools? An Evidentiary Review and Recommendations - https://www.apa.org/pubs/info/reports/zero-tolerance-report.pdf
Safety from the Inside Out - Rethinking Traditional Approaches, By Alfie Kohn - http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/safety.htm
Punitive Damages, By Alfie Kohn - http://www.alfiekohn.org/parenting/punishment.htm