Well, I agree with zero-tolerance in policing, graffiti etc as outlined in The Tipping Point but I think something has gone a bit off the rails here.

The way to defeat the teachers' unions is with vouchers and other tools of parental choice, although I think we are a lot more than twenty years away from their introduction into the UK unfortunately.

> I agree with zero-tolerance in policing, graffiti etc

I agree with no tolerance in policing, but — and here's an annoying bit of terminology — "zero tolerance" doesn't just mean "no tolerance". An important part of zero-tolerance policies is that they must allow absolutely no discretion: same punishment, no matter to what degree the rule is broken. That's why we get these insane stories from US schools: carrying a knife and drawing a picture of a knife get the same punishment. Zero tolerance in policing would involve turning our courts into some of the worst in the world.