OPIA Blog

Recent HLS graduate Jim Freeman (’03), and the organization he works for, the Advancement Project, were included in a recent New York Times article about the debate occurring on the zero tolerance policies that have been implemented in many schools across the country. The idea is to punish swiftly and severely, which is often popular among parents, but questioned by administrators and other school officials.

This is being hotly debated, as the article explains, because a recent case of a girl getting suspended for the semester at her high school is being heard in the North Carolina Supreme Court. At issue is her suspension, but also whether lesser offenses (profanity, for example) should be met with the same harsh “zero tolerance” approaches that may be warranted in drug or violence cases in schools. Statistics show that the zero tolerance policy is proven to be effective but controversial as well. You can check out the full article here. To read more about Jim’s organization, you can visit the Advancement Project’s website.