The purpose of this thesis is to address disproportionate "discipline" of minorities, i.e. ethnic/racial minorities and children with disabilities, discrimination against ethnic/racial minorities and children with disabilities in the form of verbal and physical abuse, and draconian zero tolerance policies with their one-size-fits-all punishment approach to discipline and classroom management. This paper focuses primarily on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, but also using wider cultural and legal contexts when appropriate. First, questionnaires were distributed among educators and disability rights advocates surveying the pre-thesis topic. Second, a survey was administered to all Massachusetts schools in the 33 districts with ten or more student exclusions students in 2003 and districts with four or more student exclusions per 1000 in 2003, with a 4% response rate. Because of the poor response rate, school codes of conduct were requested from these 33 identified school districts in an attempt to find at least some answers to the questions posed in the survey. Third, exclusion data collected from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Education was be added to and questioned. Fourth, the counterpart to the exclusion issue, inclusion, generally speaking, was explored by looking at the current research on best practices in positive disciplinary interventions that are safe, protective, and inclusive. The findings provide some evidence that the Commonwealth's highest rates of exclusion can be found in school districts where higher levels of low-income, absence, in-school and out-of-school suspension, retention. dropout, and "Warning/Failing" MCAS rates are prevalent. These districts also have higher than average rates of special education, except for charter and regional vocational schools. The targeted districts did not significantly vary on average from the statewide rates for per pupil expenditure and limited English proficient rates. Further to examine this data with more rigorous statistical methods may be helpful for policy analysts. (Contains 10 tables, 4 figures, and 48 appendices.) [Master's Thesis, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.]