Effects of Discipline on Children: Zero Tolerance Policies and Alternative Discipline

Abstract

This oral thesis touches on the role school discipline plays in a child’s life and the urgent need for alternative forms of discipline. With a focus on the implementation of zero tolerance policies in schools, and the ways it has harmed students and directly contributed to the school-to-prison pipeline. Addressing the need for an alternative discipline to the traditional punitive punishments that are common in schools. What are examples of alternative discipline, and how can they be an effective option for schools to adopt? Including culturally responsive teaching, trauma informed teaching, behavioral intervention, and restorative justice. Using what I have learned, I examine what I can do in my future classroom to best support my students while still addressing behavior.