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Zero Tolerance
A school therapy dog put down as a cost-cutting measure. An Ofsted inspector who grades his sexual encounters on a clipboard. A Head of Humanities who spends every waking minute scouring the Norwegian Meteorology Service website, desperate for a hint of snow. A Deputy Head found naked, bound and gagged after the Year 11 Prom. A Chief Executive of the Local Education Authority waiting for a phone call as the only employee left in a once vast empire. A Secretary of State for Education with a cunning plan to solve the Social Care crisis.
Welcome to the world of State Education in austerity England in 2019, a country riven by decline, distrust and division. When Karim, a fifteen year old Syrian refugee, arrives at Fairfield High School he thinks that he has escaped from hell. But then the Multi Academy Trust takes over…
Welcome to the world of State Education in austerity England in 2019, a country riven by decline, distrust and division. When Karim, a fifteen year old Syrian refugee, arrives at Fairfield High School he thinks that he has escaped from hell. But then the Multi Academy Trust takes over…
- GenresFiction
424 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 10, 2020
4 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 11, 2020
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
So sad and disappointed in myself for just reading this book when it came out in February. Ugh, I've been busy but I am happy that I finally dove into Zero Tolerance.
Okay, so this book had so many characters in it. I mean, it was really hard to keep track of who and what was happening. Especially when drama is thrown into the mix. It kind of felt like I was watching a show or movie and there's little interviews from people while the show is going on. Sounds complicated right? Right.
Other than that, it was a bit slow in the beginning. Then about half way through I realized that it was still going strong on the slow vibe. Eventually things picked up towards the end of the book but by then I couldn't really connect with anyone or anything that was happening.
In the end, I'm glad I got the chance to dive into it. Here's to hoping that I catch up in all my ARCs that I'm behind on.
So sad and disappointed in myself for just reading this book when it came out in February. Ugh, I've been busy but I am happy that I finally dove into Zero Tolerance.
Okay, so this book had so many characters in it. I mean, it was really hard to keep track of who and what was happening. Especially when drama is thrown into the mix. It kind of felt like I was watching a show or movie and there's little interviews from people while the show is going on. Sounds complicated right? Right.
Other than that, it was a bit slow in the beginning. Then about half way through I realized that it was still going strong on the slow vibe. Eventually things picked up towards the end of the book but by then I couldn't really connect with anyone or anything that was happening.
In the end, I'm glad I got the chance to dive into it. Here's to hoping that I catch up in all my ARCs that I'm behind on.
June 14, 2020
TL;DR - this is a very slow burn, with many characters, and it took me a while to get into it but the ending was kinda worth it. If you're into perspectives of teachers and the hidden drama behind school policies this might be up your alley.
For the first 70% of this book I was going to give it 2 stars. The story was interesting but very slow. I usually like a slow burn but this was a little too slow for me. There's also so many characters introduced as narrators that fade out and you don't hear from them again til way later that it makes it hard to keep track sometimes. There's also nothing noting who the narrator is as it switches so it might take a minute to figure out. The other part of this book that kinda through me for a loop is the time frame. It takes place over 3-4 years. 50 pages would encapsulate a day and then the next page would jump ahead 3 months. I feel as if the slowness, the switching to many different characters, and the time-jumping really made it hard for me to read this book and get as absorbed as I normally do.
But then the last 30% of this book happened and it convinced me to give it a 3rd star. The whole plan comes crumbling down and you don't know til last minute if Rick is on the good side or not. I liked the ending with Rick, Karim, Evana. I like that justice was semi-served. I cried during the reunion at the end. I'm glad I finished this book. I'm happy I got to read the ending because I did really enjoy it. But I don't know if I would read this book again due to how long it took me to read in comparison to similar/longer books.
For the first 70% of this book I was going to give it 2 stars. The story was interesting but very slow. I usually like a slow burn but this was a little too slow for me. There's also so many characters introduced as narrators that fade out and you don't hear from them again til way later that it makes it hard to keep track sometimes. There's also nothing noting who the narrator is as it switches so it might take a minute to figure out. The other part of this book that kinda through me for a loop is the time frame. It takes place over 3-4 years. 50 pages would encapsulate a day and then the next page would jump ahead 3 months. I feel as if the slowness, the switching to many different characters, and the time-jumping really made it hard for me to read this book and get as absorbed as I normally do.
But then the last 30% of this book happened and it convinced me to give it a 3rd star. The whole plan comes crumbling down and you don't know til last minute if Rick is on the good side or not. I liked the ending with Rick, Karim, Evana. I like that justice was semi-served. I cried during the reunion at the end. I'm glad I finished this book. I'm happy I got to read the ending because I did really enjoy it. But I don't know if I would read this book again due to how long it took me to read in comparison to similar/longer books.
July 4, 2020
How toxic policies poison
Toxic workplace practices have been in place in the private sector for decades, but now they have infiltrated schools. The academisation of Fairfield High has a catastrophic impact on the teachers, pupils and local community. Amid all this turmoil lie two boys, a Syrian refugee and a pending class boy fed a diet of violence and racism. Can anyone survive Zero Tolerance?
Toxic workplace practices have been in place in the private sector for decades, but now they have infiltrated schools. The academisation of Fairfield High has a catastrophic impact on the teachers, pupils and local community. Amid all this turmoil lie two boys, a Syrian refugee and a pending class boy fed a diet of violence and racism. Can anyone survive Zero Tolerance?
March 9, 2021
A fabulous take down of current fashions in educational leadership in the UK. The Owl, an ex-teacher, skewers the trend for simplistic authoritarian solutions, while at the same time weaving in a critique of populist approaches embraced by cynical Tory politicians. The sub-plot of Karim, the Syrian refugee, is genuinely moving and by the end, the feel-good resolution pr0duces tears and a sense of the world being restored to sanity.
June 3, 2022
A great narrative expose of a zero tolerance approach to school management - believable, scathing, with a sensitive human touch and engaging characters. I thoroughly recommend this read, particularly for educators ...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews