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And this is why zero tolerance rules are despicable. Not because they were enforced in this case, but because of the countless times they were probably threate
by conradev 14y ago
And this is why zero tolerance rules are despicable.
Not because they were enforced in this case, but because of the countless times they were probably threatened and not enforced. These rules don't enforce justice, they leave justice up to the arbitrary will of an administrator.
My school has a rule that states "If a phone is seen out, you will get 20 lunch detentions." And yet most of the teachers do not enforce the rule. In fact, here I am typing a response on Hacker News. Yet if a teacher were to not like me, he/she could single out me and only me and give me lunch detentions. This may only be a simple example, but it scales all the way up to serious offenses and the higher level administrators as well.
"You seem like a nice kid, I'll let you off this time"
It becomes even worse when bias and prejudice are involved.
- fnordfnordfnord 14y agoEqually despicable are rules so vague that a mishap can be treated as a criminal act. Carmen Ortiz would approve.
- tg3 14y agoThis is the way police states operate - ridiculously strict laws that are only laxly enforced. In such a system, the enforcers (not lawmakers) have inordinate power to punish or reward people as they see fit.
- specialist 14y agoWorking for a tyrant, I learned the cliche "ambiguous rules, ruthlessly enforced". I believe laws are best wielded against people you don't like. There are so many laws, so broad, so contradictory, every one of us is doing something wrong at any point in time. So enforcement is just a matter of choosing how to punishing your enemies.