think on this.

In the last 10 years, nearly 100,000 Colorado students have been referred to law enforcement by their schools – many for offenses that didn’t rise to the level of an actual threat to school safety. Last year, 9,183 students statewide were referred to law enforcement in school – about one in every 100 students in the state. Yet students arrested or ticketed face potentially serious future consequences, including difficulties getting into college or the military, or landing a job. And students who are suspended or expelled invariably fall behind academically, further hampering them. “I want to make sure young people have good jobs in the future,” said Newell. “So we need flexibility when it comes to discipline. Things like the age of the child, and the child’s history and culture, must be taken into consideration. We must prioritize safety, of course, but we must focus on restoring relationships, not just punishing the deed.” Added Sen. Evie Hudak, D-Westminster, co-sponsor of the bill: “We need to figure out the least destructive method of punishment. I think that eliminating the crazy zero-tolerance policies will put us on the right track.”