This Week in CQ Researcher

Discipline in Schools, by Thomas J. Billitteri, February 15, 2008

Are zero-tolerance policies fair?
The search continues for effective methods to curb classroom misconduct. Zero-tolerance policies, widely adopted during the 1990s, have led to skyrocketing suspension and expulsion rates in many school districts, sparking criticism that get-tough conduct codes are ineffective at stopping misbehavior and harmful to the education process.

Civil-rights and child-advocacy groups say such codes have led to too many cases of harsh punishment for relatively minor violations, sometimes sending youngsters out on the street where they get into worse trouble.

• Have zero-tolerance policies made schools safer?
• Is racism responsible for high suspension rates among minorities?
• Should students have more legal rights in discipline cases?

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