Pubdate: Thu, 09 Dec 1999 Source: Seattle Times (WA) Copyright: 1999 The Seattle Times Company Contact: http://www.seattletimes.com/ Authors: Neil Nicoll, President, YMCA of Greater Seattle; and Judy Bunnell, Director, It's About Time for Kids Note: This LTE does not address drug policy specifically, but it fits hand in glove with the subject ZERO TOLERANCE Group Says Kids Need Challenges, Activities And Our Valuable Time Editor, The Times: I read with interest your recent editorial regarding the Rev. Jesse Jackson's efforts to reinstate six students in Decatur, Ill. ("Even Jesse Jackson can't describe this," Nov. 20.) There is an even larger issue you left unaddressed. "Zero tolerance" policies with harsh penalties are simplistic solutions to more-complex questions. As research done by Seattle-based It's About Time for Kids has shown, providing kids with rules, absent the positive support they require to become healthy and productive adults, yields few results. Many caring members of the Seattle community have taken a different approach to our young people. They work together to provide Seattle youth with adults and a community that values and listens to them. These educators, health professionals, parents and service workers have provided hope and support to our kids. We call this "asset development." It's About Time for Kids' surveys of local children clearly show that when we give children our valuable time, challenging activities, opportunities for service and the many other necessary development building blocks, zero tolerance becomes a nonissue. Our children do need boundaries and consequences for their actions. However, more importantly, they need parents and a community of caring adults willing to invest the time and energy necessary to give them skills and tools to make wise choices and lead positive lives. As Decatur, Ill., clearly showed, stringent rules alone are no deterrent. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk