ZERO TOLERANCE

Group Says Kids Need Challenges, Activities And Our Valuable Time

Editor, The Times:

I read with interest your recent editorial regarding the Rev. Jesse
Jackson's efforts to reinstate six students in Decatur, Ill. ("Even Jesse
Jackson can't describe this," Nov. 20.) There is an even larger issue you
left unaddressed.

"Zero tolerance" policies with harsh penalties are simplistic solutions to
more-complex questions. As research done by Seattle-based It's About Time
for Kids has shown, providing kids with rules, absent the positive support
they require to become healthy and productive adults, yields few results.

Many caring members of the Seattle community have taken a different approach
to our young people. They work together to provide Seattle youth with adults
and a community that values and listens to them. These educators, health
professionals, parents and service workers have provided hope and support to
our kids. We call this "asset development."

It's About Time for Kids' surveys of local children clearly show that when
we give children our valuable time, challenging activities, opportunities
for service and the many other necessary development building blocks, zero
tolerance becomes a nonissue.

Our children do need boundaries and consequences for their actions. However,
more importantly, they need parents and a community of caring adults willing
to invest the time and energy necessary to give them skills and tools to
make wise choices and lead positive lives.

As Decatur, Ill., clearly showed, stringent rules alone are no deterrent.