high school hallway

Zero-tolerance discipline policies in schools may do more harm than good for middle and high school students, a new study argues.

(File photo)

LANSING -- A quarter-century after the rise of zero-tolerance school discipline policies, new research indicates the crackdown on misbehavior in schools has not increased school safety.

The Vera Institute of Justice, a national nonprofit group, released a report on the effects of zero-tolerance policies arguing that they have little effect on how students behave in the classroom.

"No studies show that an increase in out-of-school suspension and expulsion reduces disruption in the classroom and some evidence suggests the opposite effect," the report states.

Zero-tolerance discipline policies typically carry harsh penalties for violations involving drugs, alcohol, smoking, weapons and classroom incidents. The National Association of School Psychologists has claimed the policies are ineffective and harmful to students, citing the potential for students with behavioral problems to have less supervision as a result of suspensions for inappropriate behavior.

The Vera report cites research indicating that school suspensions double the chances a student will repeat a grade. "Being retained a grade, especially while in middle or high school, is one of the strongest predictors of dropping out," the report states.

The report also indicates zero-tolerance policies disproportionately focus on minority students. "Nationally, black and Latino students are suspended and expelled at much higher rates than white students. Among middle school students, black youth are suspended nearly four times more often than white youth, and Latino youth are roughly twice as likely to be suspended or expelled than white youth," researchers found.

Nationally, an estimated 2 million secondary school students were suspended, while just over 3 million students graduated from high school in 2013, according to the report.

"Taken together, the research findings and other data on zero tolerance suggest

that these policies – which have been in force for 25 years – have no real benefit

and significant adverse effects," the report argues, saying school administrators should instead focus on discipline issues on a case-by-case basis.

"Certain facts are clear: zero tolerance does not make schools more orderly or safe—in fact the opposite may be true. And policies that push students out of school can have life-long negative effects, perhaps severely limiting a young person’s future potential," the report argues.

Michigan law sets some guidelines on when students can be suspended or expelled, focusing on weapons possession on school property. Students who are expelled can petition for reinstatement, and must enroll in an alternative educational program if reinstatement is denied.

Brian Smith is the statewide education and courts reporter for MLive. Email him at bsmith11@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.