Administration Urges Restraint in Using Arrest or Expulsion to Discipline Students

A new report released in January 2014 from the Obama Administration issued guidelines that recommended public school officials use law enforcement only as a last resort for disciplining students.  The report is in response to a rise in zero-tolerance policies that have disproportionately increased the number of arrests, suspensions and expulsions of minority students for even minor, nonviolent offenses.

The Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, and the Attorney General, Eric H. Holder Jr., released the guidelines that outlined recommendations such as offering counseling for students, coaching for teachers and disciplinary officers, and sessions to teach social and emotional skills.  These approaches could reduce the time that students spend out of school as a result of harsh punishment.

Check out this link for the complete report:  http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/09/us/us-criticizes-zero-tolerance-policies-in-schools.html?hp&_r=2‏