The goals of Zero-Tolerance policies have nothing to do with student outcomes and everything to do with legal outcomes. If you expel Johnny, but only suspend Ja

The goals of Zero-Tolerance policies have nothing to do with student outcomes and everything to do with legal outcomes. If you expel Johnny, but only suspend Jane for the same infraction; Johnny's parents are going to sue. Conversely if if you don't expel Johnny for drawing that picture of a gun, you'll be sued if he ever becomes violent. The most insidious thing about Zero-Tolerance is how it sharply outlines the differences for 'connected' students. A direct contradiction of it's goals. Before policies like these, a school board member's kid might get a preferential slap on the wrist in lieu of expulsion. Now that lower punishment isn't an option, anything they do wrong is invisible entirely.