Wednesday, May 15, 2002
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Wednesday, May 15, 2002 |
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Zero tolerance no defense against real predators Let's end this "zero-tolerance" nonsense. Once again, a Fayette County school brings the ax down upon one of its students, this time for accidentally leaving landscaping tools in the back of his truck. I admit, many of the horror movies I've seen make a strong case for the deadliness of a machete. However, in the real world (a world zero-tolerance policy makers simply don't seem to understand), his truck, or any other vehicle parked in the parking lot, can serve as a far more deadly weapon. I attended Fayette County schools when these zero-tolerance policies were first adopted. "If you are caught with something that could serve as a weapon, our hands are tied," administrators would explain. As students, we discussed even then how idiotic such policies were. In the years that followed, report after report surfaced from around the country of students being expelled for having "dangerous" key chains and other similar nonsense. School districts nationwide, noting such idiocy, began reconsidering their zero-tolerance on "weapons." As well they should. Zero-tolerance is a lame attempt by a school board to show the community that it cares about violent crime in schools. The justice is swift and blind. As this more recent case illustrates, it is blind to reason and sense. While administrators are worrying themselves over what your honor student may have in her car, a true predator, intent on harming his fellow students, needs only a moment to wreak terrible havoc. This moment is immune to the process of zero-tolerance. I'll state it this way: Good students have much to fear from a zero-tolerance weapons policy. A slight oversight on the part of a youngster could lead to her expulsion or jail time. True predators, on the other hand, have nothing to fear, because such consequences are meaningless. Fayette County needs to protect its schools from predators intent on harming students or faculty. As school systems nationwide are beginning to understand, zero-tolerance weapons policies are not the way to proceed. Wake up and join the real world, Fayette County. The role of leadership involves sorting though gray areas, making tough difficult judgment calls, and being accountable for the decisions made. When it comes to protecting students in Fayette County, the leaders in our schools, thanks to "zero-tolerance" weapons policies, sidestep any form of leadership and accountability. I view this impotent leadership as just another reason to not enroll a child in a public school. Curtis Grens Atlanta FCHS class of 1998
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