MISGUIDED POLICY...

The public should have zero tolerance for the Wake County Public
Schools' zero tolerance discipline policy (news story, Nov. 2). By
imposing yearlong suspensions on students for minor alcohol and drug
offenses, the school system is greatly increasing the chances that
these students will continue to get into trouble and eventually drop
out of school altogether. Barred from attending an alternative
school, suspended students are now isolated from their peers with
months of idle time on their hands -- all conditions ripe for
substance abuse and delinquency. The chances that many of these
students will return to school the following academic year are slim.

In this era of holding schools accountable for educating students, we
should not allow schools to push "problem" students out and leave
them with little structure or social support. Accountability demands
that schools educate all students, even those with behavioral
problems.

MaryBe McMillan

Raleigh