Security Measures Turn Schools Into Prisons

“Schools Add Security in Reaction to Violence” (June 2) states that Columbine set the stage for the discourse over school design to increase security. The discourse then evolved into a discussion of security glass, metal grilles, alarm systems and better crowd control. School architecture is one of the influences that may explain school violence, because large, overcrowded schools contribute to student alienation and impede efforts by adults to address peer conflicts before they explode into violence.

Although the metal grilles and jail-like measures may be necessary under current conditions to control student violence, the discourse should be evolving into a discussion about what kinds of schools would actually prevent it. Smaller, less-crowded schools would facilitate better communication between students and teachers, which would foster students’ alliance with their school and facilitate the adults’ ability to intervene in peer conflicts and actually prevent violence.

Janet Lee Davis

LAUSD Mentor Teacher

Los Angeles

I must agree that the catch phrase of “zero tolerance” is not the solution in schools today (Commentary, June 3). The idea that kids can be expelled for accidentally bringing something as innocent as aspirin or Tylenol to school is ridiculous.

When is society going to realize that in order to be fair in extraordinary situations there should always be room for a gray area for cases such as these? That is why the judicial system has juries and the government has representatives. But when you impose zero tolerance on anything, there is no room for negotiation, no gray area for fairness.

Brian Cruikshank

Dana Point