With the passing of the Gun Free School Act of 1994, the 1990s bore witness to the birth of zero-tolerance policies. During the remainder of that decade, several school shootings occurred that solidified zero-tolerance in schools across the United States. With the possibility of threats constantly increasing, school personnel having a thorough…

Disciplinary measures based on social control produce prison-like schools that remain unsafe. Coercive strategies disrupt learning and foster an environment of mistrust and resistance. Humanizing the environment and encouraging responsibility and a sense of community are possible solutions. (SK)

Suggests peer mediation as an alternative dispute resolution approach. Indicates the need to shift the focus from crisis intervention to prevention and to integrate dispute resolution skills into the school environment. (JOW)

Describes a 3-pronged policy to control budding problems of violence in a Midwestern school of about 2,600 students. Explains why each of the three policy changes--more lunch periods, assigned lockers, and mandatory student identification cards visibly displayed on each student--have made an enormous difference. (TB)

Violence and the fear of violence in the schools poses a serious threat to education. Various reports on the subject are discussed briefly, and changing school attendance laws is suggested as one possible remedy. (PP)

The use of physical violence on students affronts democratic values and infringes on individual rights; furthermore, a study of school violence found a high correlation between physical punishment and violent behavior of students. (Author/MLF)

Tells the story of three high school students whose violent, confrontational behavior proved inveterate despite the meting out of various conventional punishments such as in-school suspension. Posits that some students may be untreatable through the disciplinary apparatus available to school administrators. (TB)

The constitutionality of section 43 of the Canadian criminal code, which provides a defense to the use of reasonable and corrective force on children, has been challenged. The Canadian Teachers' Federation argues that the case is not about spanking, but about enabling teachers to maintain order and create a positive, effective learning…

Banning school corporal punishment is supported as a step towards gradually eliminating all violent actions toward children. The 39 states that allow corporal punishment are encouraged to outlaw it, to teach children that it is not socially acceptable behavior and to set an example for families' child-rearing attitudes and practices. (JDD)

Notes the harm caused by exaggerated reports of violence in schools, clarifies the distinction between violence and discipline problems, provides a perspective on the actual extent of these problems, describes factors encouraging good school discipline, and suggests reasonable approaches for governments and schools to take. (PGD)

Addresses corporal punishment in schools as a policy issue, regarding every manifestation as either abusive or potentially so. Discusses the history of physical punishment in schools, reviews current sentiment toward its use, considers policies in other countries, and examines disciplinary alternatives and child abuse prevention methods.…

A collection of six papers is preceded first by an introduction stating the editor's abhorrence of corporal punishment and his motives for assembling the papers; and then by the American Psychological Association's statement opposing the use of corporal punishment. Irwin A. Hyman and Delores M. Lally consider religious and other historical factors…

The report of this New Jersey state task force is part of a proposed legislative package. This article cites some of the task force recommendations for restructuring the juvenile court system, dealing with violence and vandalism in the schools, and providing alternative schools for disruptive students. (SJL)

In a question-and-answer format, the issue of corporal punishment is discussed, focusing on: its definition, history of the anti-corporal punishment movement, reasons for support of corporal punishment by educational authorities, constitutional protections under the Fifth and Eighth amendments, results of court cases, and methods for eliminating…

What can be done to solve the problem of crime in schools? "Project Freedom," in Wichita, Kansas, is creating programs to help children learn about dangers that come with joining gangs and becoming involved in drugs. A community program in Los Angeles, Community Youth Gang Services," is a crisis intervention team working with…