The Effect of Zero Tolerance Policies On Bullying
The intent of zero tolerance policies is to deter, prevent,
and punish students who engage in inappropriate behavior. The term originated during the drug epidemic period
of the late 1980's. Extreme acts of
school violence began to emerge during the twentieth century and continued to
increase throughout the ensuing years. The April 20, 1999 Columbine shooting shocked
the nation and pushed school leaders to develop a response to school violence
and other issues. Implementation of zero tolerance policies were
intended to create safer school environments for all students including those experiencing intimidation, harassment, or
bullying. Profile information about the
Columbine perpetrators indicated these students felt bullied, isolated, and
sought revenge against classmates and the school. While zero tolerance policies levy strict and
unwavering punishment to violators, the policies were designed to promote positive
school culture and reduce and restrict inappropriate behavior.
The Free Dictionary entry defines zero tolerance as a law,
policy, or practices that proscribed offense or behavior without making
exceptions for extenuating circumstances (www.thefreedictionary.com/zero+tolerance). One key aspect of zero tolerance is the lack
of exceptions based on individual situations or circumstances. Occasionally,
there is a case where the inappropriate behavior is mistaken as intentional and
malicious. For example, punishment such
as suspension or expulsion for possession of a weapon might be the likely consequence
when a student is found to be in possession a small
paring knife accidentally left in his lunch by a busy parent. Even though a parent might acknowledge
contributing to this issue, because of zero tolerance policies the student
would receive a punishment.
Zero tolerance does not allow school officials
to employ logical, measured responses to situations that have extenuating
circumstances and facts. Unwavering policy regulations’ regarding discipline for
school incidents reduces the right of school administrators and teachers to
make individual decisions to specific problems. Victims of bullying sometimes strike back
against the bully after becoming overwhelmed by the repeated intimidation and
victimization. Using zero tolerance
policies, a teacher must report the bully and victim to school administration.
Bullying behavior often goes unreported and undetected. Unfortunately,
for a child who is bullied, zero tolerance may be ineffective and even work
against him. If a victim of bullying
strikes back against the bully, he too can be punished. School administrators and teachers should be encouraged
to use a common sense approach to discipline rather than implementing policies,
which punish, suspend, or expel a student without exception. It is important to prevent, identify, and
respond to bullying behavior. Unchecked
bullying has the potential to create negative consequences for bullies, their
victims, and the entire school community.
No comments:
Post a Comment