The Impact of Zero Tolerance Policy on Children with Disabilities

Abstract

The Zero Tolerance policy was intended to eliminate learners who are a danger to a learning institution (Henson,2012). The development of this policy was to assist schools with better policing approaches of students conducts byemploying tough disciplinary action and subsequently provide a safer learning environment. While the ZeroTolerance policy sought to reinforce security measures in schools, the students with emotional or learning disabilitiesand behavioral disorders were predisposed to expulsions and suspensions (Henson, 2012). The situation is facilitatedby the all-encompassing nature of this policy as it fails to accommodate the fact that some of the behaviorsdemonstrated by students with disabilities are beyond their control. While some of these behaviors are considered tofall under the zero-tolerance policy guidelines, it subjects this group of learners several disciplinary actions that werenot initially included in addressing their special needs.