My school did something similar, but the surveys were anonymous and simply used for aggregate statistics - which sounds infinitely more effective than what this school is doing, anyway.
I'm not positive but very confident. These surveys are not anonymous, says the article. School administrators are required to adhere to the zero tolerance policy to the letter.
"The letter" being that if a student admits partaking in drug or alcohol use, ever in their lives, they are immediately expelled? Do you have a source for this?
Indeed it was, and I was in school when it became that broad. I even wrote about it in the school newspaper. But I still have not heard of a school that says "You used alcohol over the weekend in an activity that we agree is completely unrelated to school, so we will expel you."
Good ones. Also search for: The suit was based on a claim by sophomore Blake Robbins that school officials reprimanded him for “improper behavior” based on photos the [school issued] computer secretly took of the boy at home last fall.
Granted it's not zero tolerance because he wasn't expelled.
Lets be clear: neither of those stories do what I said.
I'm not, and never was, happy with the overreaching disciplinary actions taken by school systems. I think it tends to be reactionary and counter-productive. But your claims are still not accurate. While I disagree with the policies, and I think they are bad, they are as bad as your claims.
"In recent years, public schools have been disciplining students for the trouble they get into away from campus. Many schools suspend or expel students who are involved in any kind of violence. And some districts have expanded their involvement to misdeeds surrounding the things kids say online or drug arrests."
That's pretty close to what you say. Of course you set out an impossible claim of the school stating that it has "nothing to do with school." The argument from the school system in cases like these is roughly that out-of-school behavior has an impact on the school, so all behavior can be punished by the school system.
Could be. I couldn't find a report of a kid reporting their own transgression to the school, to see if admitting active drug or alcohol use is tantamount to possession on school property. The administrator may still be required to report the crime to the police, however.
Again, I think you are mistaken. Drugs and alcohol are common problems among teens, and school officials and counselors often try to help students with those problems.
If a joint or flask falls out of the teen's backpack while in the counselor's office, they get arrested and expelled, if everyone's following the policy. But yes maybe they can get away with admitting they are using.
I sincerely doubt the students in your school system get expelled on a first offense. In the school system I attended, Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, students get suspended upon the discovery of alcohol or drugs. Secondary offenses yield suspension and recommendation for expulsion. Illegal substances are handed over to the police, and the student may be charged. Source: http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/8WBPCN...
Weapons yielded suspension and automatic recommendation for expulsion. Administrators did not have to agree with the recommendation.
With that said, I don't like the "automatic recommendation for expulsion" parts of these policies. Even if administrators don't need to adhere to it, making it automatic is silly in the edge cases. I don't think it helps.
Not all schools have a zero tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol. I've read it's only 87% that have it. Search for: The tough disciplinary policy in Fairfax County public schools is not one of “zero tolerance,” officials there say.
My school did something similar, but the surveys were anonymous and simply used for aggregate statistics - which sounds infinitely more effective than what this school is doing, anyway.