Zero Tolerance was made to protect the students, the school staffs, and the community. But there has been ridiculous punishments given to innocent students. For example, an elementary student was suspended just from bringing some lemon drops to school.... and a David Silverstein, 13, was inspired to build a model rocket after seeing the movie "October Sky". David took his rocket, made out of a potato chip canister and fueled with three match heads, to his school, where it was found in his locker. School officials classified the toy as a "weapon" and suspended him for the rest of the year based on its "zero-tolerance" weapons policy..........
what the heck? do these people have no common sense?? I mean a 13 year old's dream was ruined by these people....
but then I understand the main reason for the need of the zero tolerance policy..... to prevent another "virginia tech" to happen. But is it effective? I think so to a certain extent. Its preventing weapons from entering the school and by banning weapons from school, the environment is safer and there won't be sudden "accidents"
Anyways.....what do you guys think?
is the zero tolerance policy a good and useful thing or is it a unnecessay thing that could and might ruin america by deriving our children from education by expelling them?
I do think zero tolerance has gone too far. What about the girl suspended for hugging another classmate and wishing her a great weekend? When I was in school, we spent Monday hugging everyone that we did not see since Friday.
I feel that zero tolerance is the administrations way to avoid looking at individual issues. It probably takes a lot of time to look at each event on a case-by-case stance. Why do that when you can make a blanket covering called “zero tolerance” and avoid the “well, he did the same thing and nothing happened to him.”
While I do think zero tolerance is not the answer, I DO NOT believe kids need to be joking around about blowing up a school. That is too serious of any issue to be making wise cracks about.
"A library is a hospital for the mind." Anonymous
The kid is stained for life
Published Author and Poet
Teacher Education Student.
Why?
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Procrastination isn't the problem, it's the solution. So procrastinate now, don't put it off. [Ellen Degeneres]
This goes on his permanent record and also may affect possible employemnt prospects.
Published Author and Poet
Teacher Education Student.
Permanent record?
He's 13. He's still in middle school. There's no such thing as a "permanent record."
And what's the worst that could happen? The employer or college says "way back when you were thirteen, you brought a toy rocket to school and got suspended, so we're not going to hire/accept you." ??
Not likely.
If they even bring it up, they're going to ask "what happened, why, and what did you learn from it?"
He's thirteen, for crying out loud.
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Procrastination isn't the problem, it's the solution. So procrastinate now, don't put it off. [Ellen Degeneres]