Zero Tolerance & Luzerne County

Kudos to Sen. Baker for 'questioning the worthiness of zero tolerance' (see item from Cathleem Palm, The Advocate's Agenda, below) considering references to it in the Luzerne County case. (Also, I'd like to know in what PA school district the Secretary thinks Zero Tolerance has proven effective. Has anyone seen that study?)
-Sheila

Sen. Baker used some of her time at the PDE appropriation hearing this PM to bring up the Luzerne County injustices by asking about the worthiness of “zero tolerance” policies. She said she felt that the policy is, in part, what triggered many youths involvement in the juvenile justice system.

The Secretary said that zero tolerance makes some sense and that it is effective in PA because it “rightfully” puts the “discretion” with the Superintendent. He also said that the Luzerne situation was one “of morality” and “doing the right thing” somewhat dismissing the role/contribution of zero tolerance argument of Sen. Baker.

The senator agreed even as she said that you can only agree as much as you remember that it was “not an isolated incident” in Luzerne.

But Zero Tolerance MAKES no sense!

My favorite quote from this story below comes from Kenneth Trump, National School Safety and Security Services consulting firm, who said zero tolerance policies can work if "common sense is applied." When we realize -- there is NO COMMON SENSE to Zero Tolerance! - Sheila, PCCY

Girl's arrest for doodling raises concerns about zero tolerance

CNN) -- There was no profanity, no hate. Just the words, "I love my friends Abby and Faith. Lex was here 2/1/10 :)" scrawled on the classroom desk with a green marker.
Alexa Gonzalez, an outgoing 12-year-old who likes to dance and draw, expected a lecture or maybe detention for her doodles earlier this month. Instead, the principal of the Junior High School in Forest Hills, New York, called police, and the seventh-grader was taken across the street to the police precinct.
Alexa's hands were cuffed behind her back, and tears gushed as she was escorted from school in front of teachers and -- the worst audience of all for a preadolescent girl -- her classmates.
"They put the handcuffs on me, and I couldn't believe it," Alexa recalled. "I didn't want them to see me being handcuffed, thinking I'm a bad person."