

Boy Lifts Book; Librarian Changes Boy's Life - zjj
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113357239&ft=1&f=4516989

======
tc
The story unwittingly demonstrates a case where zero-tolerance policies could
have created frighteningly different results.

In some alternate universe, the story reads:

 _The librarian noticed Olly tucking the book under his jacket. Following
school policy, she called the police. Olly spent the night in jail and was
suspended from his school. Bitter and vengeful, he never went back. His street
cred soared, and soon Olly was accepted into the local gang...._

~~~
yan
I'm not saying they're a good idea, but countering an anecdote with another
isn't a very good way to affirm your point. I doubt letting everyone go who
tries to shoplift a book from the library in hopes of them becoming characters
more fit for a movie plot will do much good either.

That said, you still received my up-vote since it made me think more of zero-
tolerance policies and reading books in general. I remember reading a story on
the Kindle's popularity with women. A lot of women it interviewed said they
enjoyed the literary anonymity the Kindle afforded them in public places, as
they generally didn't feel comfortable reading romance and pulp novels in
public places like the subway.

The article felt to be in similar vein; someone discovers something that
catches their eye but feels shame in seeking it out. I guess what we really
need to test are programs that expose youth to a wide variety of material and
the freedom and anonymity to pursue those interests :).

~~~
tc
The problem with zero-tolerance is that it too often equates to zero-thought.
It drives out space for humans to exercise _good judgment_. And since rules
often replace judgment, I think they should be evaluated in the same way we
evaluate judgment -- how do the rules fare at their worst [1]?

In any case, I edited to make the anecdotal nature clear. Better?

[1] It feels somehow more 'scientific' to point out that some rule works 99.9%
of the time, and to thereby dismiss anecdotes as non-evidence (not that zero-
tolerance even comes close to meeting this standard). But if a rule unjustly
destroys the lives of 0.1% of people who interface with it, I still consider
that a lousy rule.

~~~
yan
You're totally right. Now that I think about it, zero-tolerance _always_
equates to zero-thought, as the point of zero-tolerance to create a shortcut
through judgment and rules.

~~~
ryne
Zero-tolerance, in schools anyway, is zero-thought for the administration and
principles, having to deal with the grey cases, setting exceptions when
they're education administrators not lawyers. I doubt a student who did a
similar action (stealing and returning a library book) would perceive
themselves as morally wrong even with a zero-tolerance policy in place on
'stealing'.

------
kqr2
Cover of the book he originally lifted:

[http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/y/frank-yerby/treasure-
of-...](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/y/frank-yerby/treasure-of-pleasant-
valley.htm)

~~~
jim-greer
Another version, a little more risque, as he described it:

<http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/pocket-books/180-1.jpg>

------
edw519
The 8 levels of good deeds, as organized by Maimonides:

    
    
      1. Giving begrudgingly.
      2. Giving less that you should, but giving it cheerfully.
      3. Giving after being asked.
      4. Giving before being asked.
      5. Giving when you do not know the recipient's identity, but the recipient knows your identity.
      6. Giving when you know the recipient's identity, but the recipient doesn't know your identity.
      7. Giving when neither party knows the other's identity.
      8. Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant.
    

By continually adding books, Mildred Grady fulfilled both numbers 6 & 8\. May
her memory live on through her good deeds and the good deeds they spawned.

~~~
tiredandempty
if you want to achieve 6 & 8 _now_ , sign up for <http://kiva.org> anonymously
and lend money to entrepreneurs.

------
Maven911
I am quite amazed that reading was considered uncool...even in the 50's

~~~
radu_floricica
There was an article recently about John Ogbu, either on HN or reddit. Can't
find the same source, but from a bit of googling: <http://www.ogbu.com/>. Main
point: black children tend to be behind at school because the home and peer
culture is at least not supportive, and at worst against education.

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jacquesm
That's one hell of a story.

