NCJ Number
52433
Date Published
1977
Length
23 pages
Annotation
ELEVEN HYPOTHESES RELATING TO RULE DECISIONMAKING AND ENFORCEMENT IN SCHOOLS, RULE PRIORITY, AND CONSEQUENCES OF RULE VIOLATIONS ARE PRESENTED AND DEFENDED ON THE BASIS OF EXISTING SCHOOL DISCIPLINARY PRACTICES.
Abstract
EMPIRICAL RESEARCH ON SCHOOLS AND DISCIPLINE IS EXAMINED WITH REGARD TO THE 11 HYPOTHESES. IT IS MAINTAINED THAT SCHOOL RULES, AND THE CONSEQUENCES FOR DISOBEYING THEM, TEND TO BE DETERMINED BY THOSE GROUPS LEAST SUBJECT TO THEIR APPLICATIONS AND THAT RULES ARE NOT COMMUNICATED EFFECTIVELY TO STUDENTS OR PARENTS. TEACHERS FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ENFORCE RULES CONSISTENTLY AND FREQUENTLY FAIL TO MODEL GOOD RULE-GOVERNED BEHAVIOR THEMSELVES. THE RULES STUDENTS DISOBEY MOST ARE THOSE WHICH RELATE LEAST CLEARLY TO PERCEPTIONS OF SCHOOL FUNCTIONS, ARE NOT COMMUNICATED EFFECTIVELY, AND ARE ENFORCED LEAST CONSISTENTLY. TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS OFTEN REGARD SCHOOL RULES AS ENDS IN THEMSELVES AND APPLY PENALTIES FOR RULE VIOLATIONS WHICH LACK LOGICAL RELATIONSHIP TO THE OFFENSES. ACCURATE RECORDS OF RULE VIOLATIONS ARE NOT MAINTAINED BY SCHOOL AUTHORITIES IN GENERAL AND SCHOOL RULES ARE RARELY EVALUATED SYSTEMATICALLY. STUDENTS HAVE FEW OPTIONS IF THEY DISAGREE WITH A CHARGE BROUGHT AGAINST THEM BY SCHOOL AUTHORITIES. IT IS MAINTAINED THAT THE NATURE OF MOST SCHOOL DISCIPLINARY SYSTEMS CONTRIBUTES TO THE CREATION OF CONTINUING STUDENT BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT STUDENTS BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN RULEMAKING AND RULE-ENFORCEMENT, THAT RULES BE SYSTEMATICALLY EVALUATED, AND RESEARCH BE DONE ON CAUSES OF RULE DISOBEDIENCE. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DAG)