12/17/2003: 
Criminally Absurd
The Zero Tolerance Follies
or Jane! Stop this crazy thing!
A 7-year-old boy was suspended from an LA school for carrying the above, "deadly weapon."
In my search for absurdity in society, one topic keeps coming up. Zero tolerance. I am quite certain that the lawmakers who introduced this drivel, had only the best of intentions. However, in the time that it has been in effect, these laws have disrupted and or ended thousands of children's education. The issue is not black and white, but the law treats it as so. What is really needed is a little common sense and a firm disciplinary hand. I would take Frank Sollito over these misguided laws any day.
I would like to call attention to two sites in particular. ZTNightmares and Losing my Tolerance for "Zero Tolerance" at ThisIsTrue.com. Tomfoolery such as:
- 6 year old suspended for distributing lemon drops
- 14 year old suspended for talking about guns
- 13 year old suspended for the rest of the year for bring his science project to school
- Suspension for a water pistol
- "A" student charged with possession of a weapon for filing finger nail with pen knife
- Child expelled for overhearing someone talk about Columbine
