# Mad in Madison: Zero tolerance runs amuck

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-in-madison-zero-tolerance-runs-amuck/102479>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [April 8, 2002, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-in-madison-zero-tolerance-runs-amuck/102479 "2002-04-08T13:47:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DPWhite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d26b3c/32.png) [@DPWhite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPWhite)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2002, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-in-madison-zero-tolerance-runs-amuck/102479/21 "2002-04-09T00:04:59Z")

</div>

Zero tolerance means never having to say you thought it through.

Aqueisance to zero tolerance means giving up the right to think for yourself.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2002, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-in-madison-zero-tolerance-runs-amuck/102479/22 "2002-04-09T00:49:37Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by wring \*  
> \*\*But bringing a knife to school, by now, certainly the parents and the kid should have known. \*\*

I’ll take your word for it, **wring**. It wasn’t like this when my daughters were in elementary school, but that was 23 years ago.

I still think the rule is unfortunate, and not really the key to providing security. ☹

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2002, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-in-madison-zero-tolerance-runs-amuck/102479/23 "2002-04-09T04:19:43Z")

</div>

I was born and raised in MadCity (an affectionate term when I lived there). I was educated in the Madison public school system. I still have family and friends there.

The pragmatic and progressive spirit of MadCity I grew up in and carry with me today is no longer there. Something has happened to my hometown. I feel the War on Terrorism is also about the War at Home. Whether we “win” the war abroad is one thing, but we are losing the War at Home.

When a city such as Madison, Wisconsin, with its very long history of progressivism, tolerance and acceptance, succumbs to such stupidity and ignorance, resurrecting the spirit of Jefferson no longer is an academic exercise. It is time to put thoughts into action.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2002, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-in-madison-zero-tolerance-runs-amuck/102479/24 "2002-04-09T18:58:40Z")

</div>

[Don’t expel boy, examiner says](http://www.wisconsinstatejournal.com/local/23666.html)

> [@](#):
>
> In announcing her decision, [hearing examiner] Briggs zinged district administrators for being inflexible. Christian already has been punished enough, she said.
> 
> “My goodness me,” she said, “if we haven’t gotten the message to him that he made a mistake already - which, in fact, he’s admitted - by suspending him for 15 days, \*\*we need our heads examined.” \*\*

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2002, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-in-madison-zero-tolerance-runs-amuck/102479/25 "2002-04-09T18:58:40Z")

</div>

[Don’t expel boy, examiner says](http://www.wisconsinstatejournal.com/local/23666.html)

> [@](#):
>
> In announcing her decision, [hearing examiner] Briggs zinged district administrators for being inflexible. Christian already has been punished enough, she said.
> 
> “My goodness me,” she said, “if we haven’t gotten the message to him that he made a mistake already - which, in fact, he’s admitted - by suspending him for 15 days, \*\*we need our heads examined.” \*\*

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-in-madison-zero-tolerance-runs-amuck/102479.md?page=1)