Zero Tolerance Policy Analysis: A Look at 30 Years of School-Based ZT Policies in Practice in the United States of America
AbstractUsing the state of Georgia as a backdrop, this paper highlights the current state of the GFSA (Gun-Free Schools Act) in the United States of America, initially enacted in 1994, 30 years later. The progress of school-based ZTPs (Zero Tolerance Policies) in practice shows that progress remains...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Cogent Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2179863 |
| _version_ | 1797671700564803584 |
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| author | Natasha N. Johnson Thaddeus L. Johnson |
| author_facet | Natasha N. Johnson Thaddeus L. Johnson |
| author_sort | Natasha N. Johnson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | AbstractUsing the state of Georgia as a backdrop, this paper highlights the current state of the GFSA (Gun-Free Schools Act) in the United States of America, initially enacted in 1994, 30 years later. The progress of school-based ZTPs (Zero Tolerance Policies) in practice shows that progress remains slow a quarter of a century later. In response, this paper looks at the origins of school-level ZTPs, the intended and unintended consequences and identifies strategies for making substantial progress moving forward. Using Georgia law and the Fulton County school system as drivers toward change, this paper looks at State, County, and Regional-level implementation of School-based ZTPs, in alignment with the GA legal standard, to add to the existing knowledge base in this realm. By pointing to what has and has not been working, this paper seeks to bring efficacious strategies for improvement to the forefront (i.e., increasing the use of positive, collaborative behavior interventions and supports, using aggregate data to reduce the number of disciplinary actions that force students out of the classroom, creating reasonable limits on the use of law enforcement in public schools) to allow all students to learn in environments that are safe, non-punitive, and impartial. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:19:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dd0b8e0993b441779fde08fc2a9a1845 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2331-186X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:19:24Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cogent Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-dd0b8e0993b441779fde08fc2a9a18452023-09-28T10:28:07ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Education2331-186X2023-12-0110110.1080/2331186X.2023.2179863Zero Tolerance Policy Analysis: A Look at 30 Years of School-Based ZT Policies in Practice in the United States of AmericaNatasha N. Johnson0Thaddeus L. Johnson1Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Department of Criminal Justice, Criminology Georgia State University, 55 Park Place NE, Suite 506 Atlanta, GA 30303, USAAndrew Young School of Policy Studies Department of Criminal Justice, Criminology Georgia State University, 55 Park Place NE, Suite 506 Atlanta, GA 30303, USAAbstractUsing the state of Georgia as a backdrop, this paper highlights the current state of the GFSA (Gun-Free Schools Act) in the United States of America, initially enacted in 1994, 30 years later. The progress of school-based ZTPs (Zero Tolerance Policies) in practice shows that progress remains slow a quarter of a century later. In response, this paper looks at the origins of school-level ZTPs, the intended and unintended consequences and identifies strategies for making substantial progress moving forward. Using Georgia law and the Fulton County school system as drivers toward change, this paper looks at State, County, and Regional-level implementation of School-based ZTPs, in alignment with the GA legal standard, to add to the existing knowledge base in this realm. By pointing to what has and has not been working, this paper seeks to bring efficacious strategies for improvement to the forefront (i.e., increasing the use of positive, collaborative behavior interventions and supports, using aggregate data to reduce the number of disciplinary actions that force students out of the classroom, creating reasonable limits on the use of law enforcement in public schools) to allow all students to learn in environments that are safe, non-punitive, and impartial.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2179863Education policyGA DOEGun-Free Schools ActGun-Free School Zoneszero-tolerance policy |
| spellingShingle | Natasha N. Johnson Thaddeus L. Johnson Zero Tolerance Policy Analysis: A Look at 30 Years of School-Based ZT Policies in Practice in the United States of America Cogent Education Education policy GA DOE Gun-Free Schools Act Gun-Free School Zones zero-tolerance policy |
| title | Zero Tolerance Policy Analysis: A Look at 30 Years of School-Based ZT Policies in Practice in the United States of America |
| title_full | Zero Tolerance Policy Analysis: A Look at 30 Years of School-Based ZT Policies in Practice in the United States of America |
| title_fullStr | Zero Tolerance Policy Analysis: A Look at 30 Years of School-Based ZT Policies in Practice in the United States of America |
| title_full_unstemmed | Zero Tolerance Policy Analysis: A Look at 30 Years of School-Based ZT Policies in Practice in the United States of America |
| title_short | Zero Tolerance Policy Analysis: A Look at 30 Years of School-Based ZT Policies in Practice in the United States of America |
| title_sort | zero tolerance policy analysis a look at 30 years of school based zt policies in practice in the united states of america |
| topic | Education policy GA DOE Gun-Free Schools Act Gun-Free School Zones zero-tolerance policy |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2179863 |
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