The zero tolerance policy movement across most of this country's school districts significantly limited school personnel's disciplinary alternatives for students who break rules on campus. This has resulted in millions of primary and secondary age students who have experienced suspension, arrests, and for some, expulsion. Within the student…

This paper explores the notion that student behaviour regarding academic integrity and classroom civility are linked, and that intervention methods used to resolve classroom incivility may be used as a response to academic dishonesty. We advance the view that academic integrity and classroom civility refer to a student's willingness to respect the…

ACSA (Association of California School Administrators), the CSBA (California School Boards Association), the California Educational Technology Professionals Association, the Santa Clara County Office of Education, CUE (Computer Using Educators), the law firm Fagen, Friedman & Fulfrost and others have joined forces to develop policies that can…

This case study explores an ethical dilemma faced by a new junior high school principal. It is appropriate for use in all preparation course work, including the internship. Studies show that novice principal decision making differs from that of experienced principals in moral dilemmas, including following policy versus best interests of the…

Background: Schools use a number of measures to reduce harmful tobacco, alcohol, and drug use by students. One important component is the school's drug policy, which serves to set normative values and expectations for student behavior as well as to document procedures for dealing with drug-related incidents. There is little empirical evidence of…

American classrooms are experiencing the largest influx of immigrant students since the beginning of the 20th century (National Collaborative on Diversity in America's Teaching Force, 2004). The U.S. Department of Education says that of the more than 50 million children enrolled in elementary and secondary schools this year, one in every five has…

Background: In June 2002, the State of Connecticut General Assembly (CGA) passed Public Act 02-119, An Act Concerning Bullying Behavior in Schools and Concerning the Pledge of Allegiance. Section 1 mandated that each local and regional board of education (school district) develop a policy to address bullying in its schools. Conn. Gen. Statute…

This article describes 12 major components--grouped into philosophical, organizational, and operational categories--that should be included in planning and initiating an effective school discipline system. (Author/JW)

Life in the classroom is governed by a variety of rules. One typical classroom rule is the rule of silence or low noise. Teachers often deal with students' noise-making and conversations by hushing them. This article reports an investigation of how hushing can create moral dilemmas for students at their desks in the classroom. This study is part…

Argues for an understanding of play as a flux between the imagination and attempts to test consequences of "what if" questions. Discusses leading educational theorists' views of the role of play. Suggests that school authority which reduces creative play closes off children's means of finding answers to some vocational questions. (SG)

As a result of the alarming increases in student disruption, vandalism, drug abuse, and other forms of deviant behavior, school districts are becoming increasingly aware of the complexity of the problem and the numerous deficiencies of traditional approaches. For students to achieve their maximum potential, a strong framework of behavioral…

The disciplinary policy at Chapelle Elementary School in Ypsilanti (Michigan), developed with staff participation, classifies some student behavior as "unacceptable" or "inappropriate." Either behavior requires the teacher to fill out a pink slip and send it with the student to the principal's office, but only unacceptable…

With input from administrators, teachers, students, parents, and other parish members, a Catholic elementary school developed a comprehensive discipline program around the themes of respect, spirituality, and responsibility. The program was evaluated over one year. Surveys indicated that parents, teachers, and students had positive perceptions of…

All administrators and teachers face the challenge of implementing discipline procedures that are effective, particularly for special-education students. This book provides an array of practical solutions to everyday problems, primarily for use with special-education students who challenge discipline techniques. The techniques described are based…