By TChris

In the past, students who violated a dress code were sent to the principal's office for a scolding. In Toledo, a student whose low cut top and unbuttoned sweater were unacceptable to school officials, and who refused to wear the bowling shirt they offered as alternative garb, was arrested, handcuffed, and taken to the juvenile detention center. Other violations of Toledo's "safe school ordinance" deemed worthy of arrest include "being loud and disruptive, cursing at school officials," and "shouting at classmates." Only a handful of 1,727 school-related arrests in Lucas County in 2002 were for serious incidents.

The administrative judge for the Lucas County juvenile court is concerned that school officials and the courts are "demonizing children" by referring increasing numbers of minor offenses to the juvenile justice system. The "growing criminalization of student misbehavior" has become a widespread problem, leading to complaints from juvenile court judges in states that include Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky, and Florida.

Arresting and incarcerating students for nonviolent behavior does little to promote school safety. It reflects the "zero tolerance" mentality that has allowed school officials the luxury of replacing discretion and common sense with "zero thinking." Arbitrary and heavy-handed use of the criminal justice system in schools teaches students to resent authority, not to respect the law. It also wastes limited resources that the police and courts can devote to serious offenders.