Zero Tolerance Policies in Schools
Zero Tolerance Policies in Schools
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What is the school to prison pipeline?
- What is it?
They refer to practices that "force students out of the classroom and into the justice system." Schools over-police their hallways or enforce superfluous rules in an effort to maintain discipline. Zero tolerance policies set the stage for a handoff of "bad" students between the school district and the state, leading to increased entanglement with the criminal justice system. With existing racial disparities in school detention and prosecutions, the school-to-prison pipeline exacerbates the most defective parts of the American justice system, upholding a dangerous cycle that hurts our most vulnerable youth.
There has been no evidence that suspensions and expulsions are an effective method of changing students’ behavior in schools. Actually, it is the opposite: these practices are extremely harmful to the education and to the development of children.
There has been no evidence that suspensions and expulsions are an effective method of changing students’ behavior in schools. Actually, it is the opposite: these practices are extremely harmful to the education and to the development of children.
- Why do we keep pushing for Zero Tolerance?
Broken Windows Theory (1982):
“Crime is a disorder that, if not eliminated or controlled early on, increases [a person’s] likelihood of committing a more serious crime later in life.” The theory posited that a broken window in a neighborhood would serve as a catalyst for more vandalism or disorder, implying that law enforcement should prioritize punishing minor offenses to deter more serious transgressions. It has strongly influenced policies in many police districts, especially in New York City, which used Stop-and-Frisk up until recent years. Crime in the city has reduced over the years, however, correlations are inconclusive and unlikely.
Similarly, in educational settings, the principles stemming from the theory translated into more severe punishments for typical misbehavior, with the intention of deterring the problem at its source.
Key factos for school-policing
Key factos for school-policing
In 1994, Bill Clinton implemented the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), allocating $300 million to increasing school policing. As part of the president's War on Drugs, now even kids in school were victims of his mass incarceration policies, making learning environments unsafe and under legal watch.
The 1999 Columbine High School shooting increased the public demand for police presence in schools. More than $750 million in federal funds were allocated to 'make schools safer'.
Students of color and students with disabilities are disproportionately targeted by No-Tolerance policies:
Students of color and students with disabilities are disproportionately targeted by No-Tolerance policies:
"In fact, Harsh disciplinary practices for very young children are harmful for a number of reasons: » Expulsion and suspension for young children leads to high rates of expulsion and suspension later in school. Labeling young children (as ones warranting harsh discipline) has lasting detrimental effects on their social-emotional learning; it also creates a negative lens through which teachers and administrators view students from year to year. Negative impacts on social-emotional learning in kindergarten have been shown to create negative outcomes in many areas, such as future unemployment, criminal activity, substance use, and mental and physical health issues."
"HEALTH EFFECTS: the excessive punishment that accompanies zero tolerance may accelerate negative mental health outcomes by increasing feelings of alienation, anxiety, and rejection, and by destroying healthy adult bonds"
"EDUCATIONAL IMPACTS: "Removing students from the classroom has intensely adverse effects on their overall ability to succeed throughout their academic careers; it breaks important connections to teachers, peers, and their learning environment, making reintegration extremely difficult.32 » Removing students from school also increases the likelihood that they will repeat a grade. Thirty-one percent of students who received a suspension or expulsion between seventh and twelfth grade repeated their grade at least once.33 » The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Education reported that “Young students who are expelled or suspended are as much as 10 times more likely to drop out of high school, experience academic failure and grade retention, hold negative school attitudes, and face incarceration than those who are not.”
"COMMUNITY IMPACT: Estimates regarding the fiscal impact of school discipline-related dropouts and suspensions show staggering losses to the community in both social and fiscal costs. Social costs related to dropouts include lower income and higher medical costs due to poorer health outcomes. Fiscal costs include education expenditures from students repeating grades, youth and adult justice system expenses, and costs related to health and social services. One study estimated that “if policymakers could remove the entire 14 percent increase in dropouts associated with school discipline, the total lifetime savings for each student cohort would be between $750 million and $1.35 billion.”
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