Zero Tolerance and Stupidity

I found this article while perusing the web.

Lunchbox mix-up leads to charges for Sanford teen


A 17 year old teen in Sanford, NC was suspended from school for the remainder of the school year because a small pairing knife was found in her lunchbox. The knife was discovered when school officials was searching student items for drugs. The girl and her father claim that the lunchbox was the father's and she picked it up on accident because they are identical.

According to the article the student had never been in trouble. She was also taking college level courses and a very good soccer player.

Now, the only thing that matters here was that she had never been in trouble. The other items are indicative of an involved student with a focus. She was charged with a misdemeanor weapons possession and expelled from school. What happened to common sense? Zero tolerance is what happened. And before you blame the schools and the school system you might want to see where this comes from.

Zero tolerance policies came from the outcry that schools were full of drugs and weapons and gangs were taking over. In some areas that might actually be true though I seriously doubt it. But, school board members were elected on the premise they would push for such policies. And push they did. These types of policies are rampant throughout the country. And they are applied with a heavy hand regardless of who is affected.

It is my belief that these policies are oppressive and, in some instances, un-Constitutional. Though they may be written with the best intentions and with the proper due-process procedures we have taken out common sense. Without knowing all of the particulars in this case but I have seen so many like these, this often ruins a student's education. There is a great deal of research about zero tolerance and how it reduces a student's educational opportunities. My thought's are it is just plain wrong, We need to treat students better than we are. When we enforce policies like this without a modicum of thought then we create an adversarial position with the public. We need the public to support public education as much as possible without creating division. This is one of those things that erode public support. Public schools need to treat students fairly and protect them. If, after the investigation process it is found that expulsion is warranted, then so be it. But, let's use some common sense.