CSUDH Impact of Zero Tolerance Policies on Students with Disabilities Questions – Description
Practicing behavior analysts can be confronted with existing laws or institutional policies that need to change. There may be federal or state regulations that do not adequately protect certain individuals, or there could be institution policies and procedures that violate ethical codes of the profession.
In order to get these laws or policies updated, behavior analysts must become active and advocate for these changes. Taking on these additional tasks requires developing a strong understanding of the current policy and its existing impact as well as careful navigation through the groups and organizations that develop and update these laws and policies.
You will examine a local district’s/school’s disciplinary policy and consider whether the policy includes zero tolerance for certain behavior (e.g., aggression, weapons). You will also analyze the impact of zero-tolerance policies on students with disabilities and explain how you could act as an agent of positive social change to influence the school district/school to update its policies
Consider the following scenario:
You are a behavior analyst in an elementary school and one of your students has brought a butter knife to school from home in his lunchbox. During the lunch period, your student is reported to the office and called in to see the assistant principal. The assistant principal has notified you that the student has been put on notice and the school will be contacting the student’s parents regarding suspension from school.
Search your local community for a local district’s/school’s disciplinary policy and whether the policy includes zero tolerance for certain behaviors (e.g., aggression, weapons). When a zero-tolerance policy exists, as in the scenario, consider the impact of this policy on your future clients (i.e., students with disabilities), similar to the case in the scenario.
Assignment
Explain the impact of zero-tolerance policies on students with disabilities (whether your local district/school has such a policy or not).
How would you, as a positive social change agent, influence district/school disciplinary policies to better serve your clients?
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