For the most part, I’m not a zero-tolerance proponent. Too often it’s a politically-driven, knee-jerk reaction to something in the headlines. Typically, it amounts to zero tolerance for common sense. And as a result, it is not usually effective enough to warrant a draconian trade-off.
But sometimes it does work. And the greater good carries the day. Then it would be at odds with common sense to not continue it.
Case in point: the Hillsborough County School Board’s “zero tolerance” for bomb-threat hoaxes. Actually, it’s more like a year-long expulsion, as opposed to previous – and ineffective – suspension policies. But it is a significant ratcheting up of punishment. It was prompted by a record 138 bomb threats in 2000-01. Last year there were 16. So far this year, three.
Bomb threats are not harmless pranks but serious interruptions of the educational process that already has enough challenges. It’s more than trashed lesson plans. Some students wander off and skip extra classes. Some stay home the following day out of fear or pretext.
“When you evacuate a school, you take the risk of kids being injured,” points out Lewis Brinson, Hillsborough’s assistant superintendent for administration. “All kinds of things happen when you’re trying to get hundreds and thousands of kids out of school, and nobody knows if it’s a false threat or not.”
Inevitably, there are complaints from those who have been “expelled” – and from their parents. A hierarchal chain of guilt and peer pressure are typically cited. Also noted: the less-than-ideal academic environment provided by on-line courses and alternative programs.
Two points:
1) “Expulsion” is part of the price to be paid for thoughtlessly compromising
every other student’s learning environment. To those who find the penalty unfair: Too terribly tough. Be glad it’s not forever.
2) Actually, such “expellees” are, of course, learning something. Namely, that
what they did was serious – and has a commensurately serious consequence. If truly learned, the lesson will last a lifetime.