The Study
In this article, Assistant Professor Chris Dunbar, Jr. and Associate Professor Francisco Villaruel examine the responses of school principals from an urban school district to Michigan’s zero-tolerance policy. They seek to understand how school leaders interpret and implement the policy and how their practices affect the educational experience of children in their schools.


Findings
In 1995, a zero-tolerance law took effect in Michigan public schools mandating the permanent expulsion of any student who brought a dangerous weapon to school. The researchers interviewed 36 principals from a Midwest urban school district. Twenty of the principals were men, and 16 were women. During the 2000-2001 year, the district had expelled 25 students, 13 of which were African American females, 10 were African American males, and two were males and non-Hispanic whites.
The most disturbing finding, according to Dunbar and Villaruel, was that there were as many interpretations of the policy as there were respondents. “It appears that despite national attention surrounding zero-tolerance policies, the depth at which the policies were understood varied from one principal to the next. Most responses were prefaced with ‘what I understand,’ which suggested that there was no single definitive understanding or clear knowledge of the policy’s content.” Given the grave consequences for students of color, the researchers concluded that principals’ interpretations resulted in the disparate implementation of this policy. The intended objective of the policy was to ensure the safety of students and staff. However, its inequitable implementation raised concerns about its judiciousness for all students. The researchers conclude: “Clearly, Michigan’s zero-tolerance policies are a necessary evil. The public desires safe schools that promote safe learning environments. But as noted in these findings, the current policies alone do not fully achieve this outcome. Administrators interviewed for this study questioned whether these policies were ‘in the best interest of school-aged youth.’ In short, the administration and implementation of Michigan’s zero-tolerance abdicate their individual and school-level responsibility to provide educational opportunities for students of color.”

What It Means to You
Do principals in your district fully understand the provisions of Michigan’s zero-tolerance law? Are they applying the law correctly and fairly? To what extent does the law make your schools safe learning environments for all your students?

For More Information
Dunbar, C. Jr. & Villaruel, F.A. (2002). Urban school leaders and the implementation of zero-tolerance policies: An examination of its implications. Peabody Journal of Education, 77(1), 82-104.

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