I've lived most of my life in the southern United States. I'm proud of being a southerner with an accent that speaks to my heritage. Grits are a favorite for breakfast (not instant nor grit cakes), and cornbread and sweet tea are welcome anytime.

The best teachers I know have an usually large capacity for grace. To clarify, I used the term grace to convey undeserved favor. In other words, they share forgiveness and release where others would be expected to seek justice, retribution, and/or consequences. Similar to the grace shared by God in the gift of the birth of his son, Jesus, which many celebrate during the Christmas season.

Seeing the Toll, Schools Revise Zero Tolerance

This recent article in the New York Times featured the tough facts about the policies that school administrators and boards have used for the last few decades under the guise of improving safety and security. Trouble is, zero tolerance policies have not accomplished the goal. Instead, they have produced greater "arrest records, low academic achievement and high dropout rates."