ZERO TOLERANCE: DISCIPLINE NEEDS DOSE OF COMMON SENSE

There's a big difference between keeping prescription medication in one's
school locker or purse and toting around an illegal drug. Common sense tells
us that much. The problem is, common sense is what's missing from many
school policies that take a one-size-fits-all approach to punishment. We
certainly don't have all the facts in the case of a Mustang middle-school
student suspended for a year after a drug dog led police and school
officials to discover prescription hormone pills in a girl's purse. The
medication was prescribed by a doctor to treat an ovarian disease. The girl
and her parents have appealed the suspension, and we hope common sense will
prevail.

Zero-or no-tolerance policies that don't distinguish between mistakes
and blatant disregard of rules, or offer only a single consequence
without regard to the circumstances, create more problems than they
solve. It would be easy to think all rules violations have
black-and-white consequences. That certainly is easier for school
administrators who want to avoid accusations of unfair treatment when
students are punished differently.

The best zero-tolerance policies are ones that punish students for
breaking the rules, but also allow for the creation of a punishment
that actually fits the crime. Good administrators need some wiggle
room to exercise discretion that takes into account the severity of
the incident and a student's disciplinary history. Even though
Mustang's policies state the student may be eligible for a reduced
suspension of 10 days if she agrees to counseling and urinalysis
testing, that still seems harsh if this was her first offense.

We don't disagree with Mustang's policy that requires all medication,
except in rare cases like asthma, be dispensed through the office. We
understand that's in the best interest of all students and ensures
students are taking the medication appropriately. Schools with
policies that don't temper black-and-white rules with a common-sense
approach to discipline should rethink that approach and try to make
sure that the students aren't excessively punished for making mistakes.