FIGHTING WORDS: Zero Tolerance

By Jenetta Lumpkin-Bradley

New Millennium School of Health

Photos and video by Jenetta Lumpkin-Bradley

A 17-year-old (who we’ll call “Matthew”) got a first-hand look at the Chicago Public Schools’ Zero Tolerance policy when another student came up to him after school one day...

According to Matthew, the student said, “So I hear you’ve been putting my name in your mouth. . . . What’s up!,” the student asked as he dropped his coat and book bag. “We can get down right here, right now,” he said. “Let’s fight!”

Matthew says he responded: “Man, I’m not even trying to fight you. I’m trying to get home. It’s the end of the day, I’m exhausted and ready to go, get off that.” Matthew says he then walked away, avoiding a confrontation.

The next day Matthew told a school security guard, whom he was comfortable with about the incident. Matthew says he told the security guard that officials needed to intervene, “Because the next time he comes in my face I’m going to drop him where he stands.” According to Matthew, the guard responded, “Well man, do what you do.”

Minutes later, students at the New Millennium School of Health cried out, “It’s a fight! Fight! Fight!" That same day, Matthew was hit with a five-day suspension.

According to CPS’ stated policy, Zero Tolerance (initiated in 1995) is “enforced for students who commit acts of misconduct which seriously disrupt the orderly educational process.”

Ironically the student who Matthew alleges started the altercation was only suspended for two days.

Melissa Shikany, assistant dean at New Millennium, says Zero Tolerance teaches kids the consequence of the choices they make. She says it helps kids learn to follow rules and makes other kids feel safer.

But, according to Northwestern University associate professor of law Bernardine Dohrn, who also is director of the Children and Family Justice Center, “Zero tolerance is not applied evenly to all kids... I believe there is a large element of discrimination – and no one can provide all the evidence with racism and discrimination. They do not understand that the Zero Tolerance policy effects students in the long run.

“There are many students who have difficult circumstances and need different learning techniques. The Zero Tolerance policy should be more focused on knowing who the students really are before punishing them.”

At New Millennium, a suspended student is given a recovery packet, but it doesn’t allow him to make up all that he misses. In addition to written assignments, teachers award students points toward their final grade for class participation, in-class assignments, etc. A suspended student loses those points. So, a suspension affects a student’s grades and ultimately, his future.

Matthew felt that the lack of structured learning during his suspension made it a waste of time – all he did was watch television and go outside during what normally would have been school hours. And, he says the school never even tried to get him to turn in the make-up work in the recovery packet given out when students are suspended to keep their grades up. According to Shikany, it’s the responsibility of the student and his/her parent to pick up and use the recovery packet.

But for kids who are already marginal academically, being suspended won’t pressure them to work harder. “No, it doesn’t help them, it makes them anxious,” Dohrn says.

Because of all the problems suspensions can create – such as poor grades, lack of knowledge, influences to use the time off for negative pursuits and an increase in drop-out rates – it’s important for students to learn how to avoid conflicts and fights.

Shikany says the following programs are offered to help students avoid and resolve conflicts: The first is an anger management program for students who are referred by teachers; another is the New Millennium Diva program, which is a mentoring program for girls in grades 9-11 that helps them to make choices to better themselves; and the last two programs consist of confidential sessions for students who are thought to be in serious crisis – they teach them to appreciate inappropriate choices and address students with short tempers and failing grades.

Matthew thinks the reason he gets into fights is because other students keep starting altercations with him, but instead of being proactive in the situation he just ignores it or just talks with staff members like the security guard who he socializes with. He feels the fight could have been prevented if only his peer would have maturely came to him and discussed their problems so that they could come to a solution.

Shikany says that the security guard in such a situation should have brought Matthew to the dean to investigate the matter in order to de-escalate the conflict.

Shikany says the Zero Tolerance suspension policy at New Millennium applies to fighting and for students not wearing the appropriate school uniform. She explains that the length of the suspension depends on how severe the case may be, for instance if a student hit a teacher they get a 10 day suspension, while a smaller fight might result in two to five days. A fight that breaks out between groups of students is an automatic 10-day suspension.

However, she says the administrative staff does give students an opportunity to speak and tell their side because they do believe that it’s possible it could be more to a story that was discovered.

New Millennium dean, Mr. Spencer, says that they still have to adhere to CPS law during the process. He says the Zero Tolerance policy has reduced the number of fights this school term over the previous one. Last school year, he says, there were numerous riots and fights, while as of December of the current school year there had been only eight fights.

However, Dohrn, who has studied the policy in her work says, “There is no evidence on Zero Tolerance reducing the number of fights.”

We asked Matthew how the policy had impacted his actions. I’m still the same. I just keep walking away from drama but if somebody put their hands on me I’m going to do the same.”

So, there are no easy answers when looking at the Zero Tolerance policy in Chicago Public Schools. While reducing the number of fights creates a better learning environment where students are more prepared and focused, the policy needs to be applied fairly.

And, perhaps the best approach to prevent any students from slipping through the cracks is to place more efforts on diffusing conflicts before they start and on trying to assess and then address the individual needs of students.