Zero Tolerance and Our Schools
Conference Results

Substance use and abuse by students on our middle and high school campuses is problematic to say the least. Currently, in our community the most significant way for dealing with alcohol or other drug use on school grounds is through the use of suspension and expulsion interventions. There is some grave concern about the efficacy of this approach.

Reason: There may be no simple solutions to the problems brought about by the use of alcohol and other drugs on school campuses, but the current punitive approach appears haphazard and doesn’t reflect solutions suggested by existing research.

In the end, there are three simple questions that need to be addressed:

1. Are current policies implemented consistent with existing rules and regulations?
2. Is the use of suspension and expulsion as tools to address substance use on campus effective?
3. Are there better alternatives to addressing the problem of substance use on campus, which might be more effective over time?

On April 10th a Zero Tolerance Conference was held here in Sacramento. This event was a collaborative effort with Sacramento County Office of Education. It was directed to an audience of middle and high school educators and administrators, who are responsible for disciplinary decision-making. Additional attendees included representatives from community-based prevention and treatment providers and the State Office of Education.

The conference event was a significant success. There were close to 60 participants, including the panelists and we received 44 evaluation forms. Given the responses to the post-event questionnaires it could not have been more worthwhile. The partnership with SCOE made the effort so much easier and contributed greatly to its success.

The positive response suggests that each district might consider holding a symposium for their own staff. Response to the event was as follows:

1. I found the training event a good use of my time.
   
   
   
2. I learned new information that will help me in my job.
   
   
   
3. I got some new ideas that will help me deal with substance use on school campus.
   
   

In addition, we asked participants to note what components of the training they found to be the most valuable. There were a whole array of answers, but the overwhelming number noted that the diverse programs presented by the panelists were most beneficial. Other items of note included:

• the teens helping teens programs;
• the discussion of getting youth involved in policy-making;
• the discipline vs. punishment framework presented;
• the local Peer Court effort; and
• the description of the ways community agencies can partner with schools

Copies of the video of the conference are available for purchase and you can download the Issue Paper – A Matter of Connection – from this website. For additional information contact Project Help.