A "zero tolerance" head scratcher

[s_stabeler]

And here's the problem. No matter how you train teachers, there will always be a difference of opinion and grey areas. Perhaps what one student did to another was technically bullying, but was a relatively minor offence. It requires some action or discipline to correct the behavior (possibly even merely a stern talking to). However, thanks to zero-tolerance, the student's punishment is the same as if they had done something absolutely heinous.

the problem is that you also need to be careful to avoid teachers letting their favorites get away with anything. Thus what i mean by a variation on zero-tolerance- by taking the actual decision on what punishment is appropriate away from the teacher, perhaps- might be useful.

what I mean by used too aggressively is that situations that shouldn't really come under a zero-tolerance policy at all- like kids playing with finger guns, or I remember there being a case of a candy (IIRC) being chewed into the shape of a gun- being classed under the same zero-tolerance p0olicy as bringing an actual gun into school. That is more a fault in implementing a zero-tolerance policy than an issue with the policy itself. oh, and by not having enough flexibility, what i mean is that they usually treat everything exactly the same. what's wrong with requiring a punishment, but for minor cases, the punishment being minor? ( what I mean, for example, is if someone brings in a toy gun, then take it off them ( give it back at the end of the day for them to take home) asnd tell them not to bring it in again.)

[TheHuckster]

the problem is that you also need to be careful to avoid teachers letting their favorites get away with anything. Thus what i mean by a variation on zero-tolerance- by taking the actual decision on what punishment is appropriate away from the teacher, perhaps- might be useful.

That's difficult if the teacher's the only adult attending the classroom. Granted, teachers playing favorites was a common thing I recall growing up, and it's incredibly frustrating. The best thing I can say that might work is if the student had access to go above the teacher's head and speak to someone else.

What's ironic is I think the implementation of zero-tolerance policies was to deter teachers playing favorites... which is kind of like trying to kill a fly with napalm.

what I mean by used too aggressively is that situations that shouldn't really come under a zero-tolerance policy at all- like kids playing with finger guns, or I remember there being a case of a candy (IIRC) being chewed into the shape of a gun- being classed under the same zero-tolerance p0olicy as bringing an actual gun into school.

I remember that case. I think it was a pop tart. I think it was one of the poster-childs of zero-tolerance gone haywire. Prior to that I remember there was a 1st grader who got expelled for bringing a butterknife with his lunch. I'd bet that a well sharpened pencil would have been a more effective weapon, something which schools have a high quantity of.

and by not having enough flexibility, what i mean is that they usually treat everything exactly the same. what's wrong with requiring a punishment, but for minor cases, the punishment being minor? ( what I mean, for example, is if someone brings in a toy gun, then take it off them ( give it back at the end of the day for them to take home) asnd tell them not to bring it in again.)

Yeah, that's pretty much exactly what I said. I think a lot of zero-tolerance policies have to do with people on the top having absolutely no trust or faith in how individual teachers treat certain infractions, and as a result make this blanket policy that completely misses the mark on what it's trying to accomplish.

[s_stabeler]

That's difficult if the teacher's the only adult attending the classroom. Granted, teachers playing favorites was a common thing I recall growing up, and it's incredibly frustrating. The best thing I can say that might work is if the student had access to go above the teacher's head and speak to someone else.

that was what I had in mind, but you need to be careful of people trying to bully others via the teachers. while also understanding that bullying victims often have little proof- and that if said victim is identified by the bullies, they will be in for an even worse time.

Basically, dealing with bullies is rarely straightforward, so ti really requires teachers who actually care. Unfortunately, teachers who care appear to be in short supply in schools at the moment.