To read the first part to this two-part series, click here.

Zero-tolerance policy supporters may also point out that the policies hold traditional value. Steven C. Teske, a judge for the Juvenile Court of Clayton County, Jonesboro, GA, recalls that these policies were popular since the 1980s during state and federal efforts to eliminate drugs and violence. They have been around since the “war on drugs." Children’s parents grew up under the zero tolerance policies, which back then, worked in the way that they were supposed to. Parents want their kids to grow up in the same school system as they did.

Despite zero tolerance policies being traditional, they should be replaced by new, positive, social programs. Teske points out that after the implications of these policies, graduation rates increased 20 percent, less students dropout and felonies have gone down 50 percent. Just by looking at these statistics, schools should at least try multi-integrated and positive, social skills building programs. These programs have been known to improve student and teacher relationships, graduation rates and decrease misbehavior, said director and research affiliates at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Marc Brakett and Diana Divecha.

Public schools need to replace their zero-tolerance policies with positive, social skills building approaches. Zero-tolerance policies are only good for eliminating the threat of violence, weapons and drugs. Unfortunately, administrators are hiding behind these harsh policies and using them as a one-size-fits-all solution, which does not work. Instead of looking at all of the circumstances surrounding an incident, administrators are just expelling or suspending students.

The result is that many good, honorable students are being punished when they do not deserve it. Zero-tolerance policies are now doing the opposite of what they were intended for. If these harsh policies did not exist, then I would not have been given in-school suspension for simply treating a headache. So, before another student’s reputation is destroyed, schools need to take a stand and start actually helping their students by getting rid of zero-tolerance policies. After all, schools are there to help students, not destroy their future.