Almost everyday police are called into a school to deal with students acting up. Recent studies show that schools are much more violent than in the past and police are called in more often. Each year between 1999 and 2010, the number of times police were called has remained fairly constant. Most schools across the country are enforcing a zero tolerance policy in which there is automatic punishment for any student who breaks a rule. But, some schools are choosing to take a different and more effective approach.
Some schools have decided to stop using the zero tolerance policy and approach discipline through conflict mediation. This approach seems to be working better because it addresses the root of the trouble, and helps to figure out why a student may be acting the way he/she is. I think that if authorities continue to react to misbehavior in the way the zero tolerance policy suggests, students and his/her family, friends, etc. will never be able to be helped in the way that they should be. Although there should always be consequences for negative actions, it's also important to find out why the student is even doing the action in the first place.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/29/us/police-schools-punishment-zero-tolerance/index.html
This new approach seems great. It is a much better idea than immediately expelling the child from the school. That doesn't fix the problem. It only hides it. This new approach could essentially help the child's future as well. Madeline Jones 4th period
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