A problem with zero tolerance policies is they carry stiff penalties. In and by themselves, the penalties are good for society. But under such policies, the penalties are enacted overly broad. Little to none distinction is made among the transgressors.
Another problem is such policies are usually administered by nincompoops. In the subject case here, the school district laying down this policy seems like the lazy way to administer discipline. The policy certainly makes life easier for the school board.
Except now they have a tiger by its tail. This is a sign that the idiots in charge didn't know what they were doing. Most likely, they cut and pasted the policy from elsewhere and tried to make it fit for a middle school.
These are serious problems. The most serious is the attitude fomented under the corporate culture of school boards. They become little Mussolinis. They simply cannot be wrong and vicious is their resistance to criticism. This is maddening; elected from among the community, they soon become petty tyrants.
Perhaps the irony in my comment is that I am being overly broad. Twice, of two different school boards, I witnessed very much the same conduct as of this subject school board. And once with a library board. Whaddya think the chances are of three separate boards acting in the very same manner and quite similar to this MI school board. I think I have not erred.
A problem with zero tolerance policies is they carry stiff penalties. In and by themselves, the penalties are good for society. But under such policies, the penalties are enacted overly broad. Little to none distinction is made among the transgressors.
ReplyDeleteAnother problem is such policies are usually administered by nincompoops. In the subject case here, the school district laying down this policy seems like the lazy way to administer discipline. The policy certainly makes life easier for the school board.
Except now they have a tiger by its tail. This is a sign that the idiots in charge didn't know what they were doing. Most likely, they cut and pasted the policy from elsewhere and tried to make it fit for a middle school.
These are serious problems. The most serious is the attitude fomented under the corporate culture of school boards. They become little Mussolinis. They simply cannot be wrong and vicious is their resistance to criticism.
This is maddening; elected from among the community, they soon become petty tyrants.
Perhaps the irony in my comment is that I am being overly broad. Twice, of two different school boards, I witnessed very much the same conduct as of this subject school board. And once with a library board. Whaddya think the chances are of three separate boards acting in the very same manner and quite similar to this MI school board. I think I have not erred.