The Impact of the Federal Gun-Free Schools Act on School Discipline

• In Event: 49.050 - Civil Rights and School Discipline Policy

Abstract

Zero tolerance approaches to discipline were originally designed to ensure fairness in discipline; however, anecdotal evidence suggests that many school personnel feel constrained by zero tolerance policies. The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of the first and largest federal zero tolerance law, the Gun Free School Act of 1994 (GFSA), on perceptions of control over school discipline. I draw on data from the Schools and Staffing Survey as well as legal data from state statutes. Utilizing a difference-in-difference approach, I estimate causal effects of the GFSA. Findings suggest that the GFSA has decreased principals’ perceptions of control over discipline and contributed to increases in perceived problem behaviors.

Author

• Chris Curran, University of Maryland - Baltimore County