tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post5997192420850705123..comments2024-03-13T21:26:03.011-07:00Comments on Right on the Left Coast: Views From a Conservative Teacher: Wrong On A Number Of LevelsDarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15730642770935985796noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-14116356046048027152013-10-20T09:46:53.523-07:002013-10-20T09:46:53.523-07:00Zero tolerance policy, as I've stated before, ...Zero tolerance policy, as I've stated before, exists not to protect the kids but to protect those employed by the public education system or elected to oversee the public education system. The illusion is that zero tolerance policies exist to protect kids but what really would protect kids is adults exercising judgment.<br /><br />Sadly, there are risks in exercising judgments and, historically free of the need to perform their primary responsibility - the education of kids - it's just reflexive to avoid the other major responsibility of the public education system, keeping kids safe.<br /><br />The true reason, as opposed to the state reason, for zero tolerance policy ought to evident in what are widely viewed as abuses - punishment for gnawing a Pop Tart into the shape of a gun, punishment for carrying prescribed medication and lots of other, similar abuses - but are in fact proper applications of the policy.<br /><br />Like so much else that's wrong with public education zero tolerance policy springs from the structure of public education and will be difficult to moderate because it performs the useful service of protecting the employees and elective officials of the public education system. <br /><br />"Useful" to the elective officials and employees. Not so much for the kids.allen (in Michigan)noreply@blogger.com