What measures I can take to avoid problematic situations with the zero tolerance policy of my kids school?

Ahhhh zero tolerance. Put in place to curb violence and drug use in the schools. They seem to have been put into place after incidences like Columbine and Virginia Tech in order to safeguard teachers and students alike.

However, as happens to all policies where there is no room for margin or error, they seem to be doomed to fail. Schools are forever caught between the proverbial rock and the hard place. Education has long been the scapegoat for many societal problems that really start in the home.

Schools are supposed to miraculously fix all egregious errors committed on and by students. So they put in place ridiculous policies equivalent to tyranical rulers and then say, sorry we couldn't do anything about it because that's the rule. Even the law has degrees of infractions, but schools it seems don't.

Schools aren't likely to change these policies merely because they are reactionary, illogical, and people don't like them - unless of course there is some kind of mass sit-in or nonviolent protest (and even then it's doubtful). Besides, we all know these policies do not stop drugs being sold in the schools or violence from occurring because the people that get caught are usually the ones that volunteer the information. The ones causing the trouble hide stuff better.So to make sure your kids avoid problems with stupid practices put in place by paranoid rulemakers - first, explain the situation to them.

I think even little kids should be able to understand the rules of the game. Kids may not even be aware of the rules. Second, show them examples of kids, especially the honor roll students, that have been accused and found guilty of minor infractions and sentenced to very harsh suspensions.

For example, the six year old who brought his camping utensil to school news.aol.com/article/school-suspends-fir... because of how excited he was to be a cub scout Or this honor-roll, eagle scout, CPR qualified student who wants nothing more than to go to West Point and serve his country honorably like his grandfather, a Vietnam vet and current police chief - who was suspended for 20 days for having a key chain knife in his car as part of his readiness preparation kit http://www.timesunion.com/ASPStories/Story.asp?StoryID=852474&LinkFrom=RSS Good students often do not want these kinds of consequences on their "permanent records". Bad students may not care but at least they know the playing field. Third, discuss the information occassionally, such as when another incident pops up in the news.

Ultimately the student needs to be responsible for following the schools rules.

You can do a head to toe search on them before sending them off, or you can simply trust them and if they are caught for violating the policy, they will be responsible for the consequences.

Keep a close eye on Ur kids, and yes check their backpacks.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.