I applaud the Human Rights Commission and the direction it is taking toward helping schools steer clear of blunt "zero tolerance." It is something I've been fighting for with my son's school for the past four years. Although my child is not a visible minority, his sometimes "invisible condition" - attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - and teachers' lack of tolerance and understanding, have lead to him suffering unjust consequences, in the form of teacher disbelief, lack of trust, ridicule, harassment and ultimately, unfair and unjust "discretionary" suspensions. Notwithstanding all the communication put forth on my part on his condition, changes in his condition, etc., his mitigating circumstances have never been properly understood or put into perspective when suffering consequences for his words or actions at school. Instead, due to "zero tolerance," and, in my opinion, teachers' fear of not respecting policy to a "T," it has crushed children's spirits, without giving any consideration whatsoever to understanding the cause or circumstances surrounding their infractions. What I have found is that "zero tolerance" of children has created "zero tolerance", from both students and parents, of teachers who just don't have the patience, the means or the understanding. Maybe the next step for the commission is to continue on their path to see how far-reaching "zero tolerance" in schools really is, because it's not just about race or the colour of a child's skin. Clara Mancini, Toronto