Important Things Learned:
Effective alternatives to zero tolerance should involve students, families, and their communities in efforts to provide a safe learning environment and safety in school. Anti-violence programs like anti-bullying, anger management, and peer mediation help to reduce discipline problems in schools. Building student-teacher relationships, challenging curriculum, and teacher training in classroom management and cultural competence make schools safer, equitable, and educational. (Zero Tolerance)
Surprising Things Learned:
While students are reporting school crime at the same level as in the 1970s, the number of youth suspensions has nearly doubled from 3.7% of students in 1974 (1.7 million students suspended) to 6.8% of students in 1998 (3.2 million students suspended). African-American students are suspended at roughly 2.3 times the rate of White students nationally. In Michigan schools, 3,500 students were expelled during academic year 1999-2000. (Zero Tolerance)
Now I know a school in Michigan is a lot different from a school in North Dakota but it is still a school in America and I believe that we should create schools where students, staff, and parents are safe.
Questions:
What do we do this students that break the law outside of school?
Why are some schools afraid of their students and what they will do?
How come students changed from the 1900's to the 2000's?
