Under the proposed state zero tolerance policy, any student who
gets caught
with drugs or a weapon, and any student who assaults someone on school
grounds,
would be removed from that school and given the option in most cases to
attend
an alternative education program. The state estimates that 3,600
students will
be placed in these alternative programs per year, at a cost of about
$25
million.
According to the “Austin AISD Police Department Crime Analysis –
Reported
Offenses” for the 1992-93 school year, there were 2,257 total offenses
reported, 381 of them resulting in a student being arrested. The data
includes
all AISD schools, not just high schools. Those numbers break down as
follows:
Reports Arrests
Arson/Property Destruction 22 0
Assault 601 110
Burglary/Theft/Robbery 565 39
Criminal Mischief/Criminal Trespass 447 75
Disorderly Conduct/Class
Disruption/Reckless Conduct 88 21
Drug Offense 87 53
DWI/Liquor Laws 10 7
Inhalant use 1 0
Sex offenses/Indecent Exposure 26 2
Weapons/Criminal Instruments 52 31
The rest are divided among miscellaneous reported offenses such as:
possession of a pager, 103; bomb hoax, 2; runaways, 3; suspicious activity, 7; traffic/parking violations, 52; and evading arrest, 6.
In a 1993 statewide survey of teachers by the Texas Federation
of Teachers,
35% of those responding said that there is a significant problem with
“student
discipline or student misbehavior” in the classroom, including: abusive
and
profane language directed at the teacher, 35%; vandalism, 65%; racial
tensions,
39%; unexcused tardies, 60%; failure to do homework, 78%; and unexcused
absences, 65%. Most said that violence becomes more of a problem each
year.
This article appears in May 12 • 1995 and May 12 • 1995 (Cover).