In the past week alone, we've seen students arrested for a food fight. We've seen over 200 suspended for dress code violations at one school. We've even seen students suspended for bringing in McDonald's to lunch. In a new book by Henry A Giroux, the author explores how our youth seem to be constantly under attack and criminalized. Youth in a Suspect Society argues that school children are no longer viewed as an investment, but rather disposable. As the title suggests, our students have in fact become "suspects." One chapter explores some of the side effects since Zero-Tolerance has been instituted. "One major effect can be seen in the increasingly popular practice of organizing schools through disciplinary practices that closely resemble the culture of prisons." Dr. Giroux uses examples of many of the same stories we've brought to you on DetentionSlip.org to enlighten his readers about how ridiculous some of these discipline cases have been. He sums it up perfectly by stating, "forms of punishment that were once applied to adults now apply to first graders." We've had to begin splurging on safety and security measures, and rather than having the Principal handle discipline, we send kids off to juvenile correction centers for minor infractions. The book digs deep into the ways our youth are being affected by current political and economic situations and is a recommended read for anyone interested in examining what has happened to our schools.To read more about some of the author's outlook on our schools, click here for an exclusive interview Dr. Giroux did with DetentionSlip.org.
