The use of zero tolerance discipline in schools in the Mississippi Delta created considerable obstacles for African American students to excel, achieve, and graduate. This study used a qualitative phenomenological method to examine and assess how the application of the 1994 zero-tolerance disciplinary policies in Mississippi Delta public schools increased the dropout rate among African American high school students and how dropping out impacted those students. This phenomenological study used a purposeful sampling technique to identify 10 eligible participants for in-depth face-to-face interviews. The participants were individuals who dropped out during the 1997-98 school year but before the ending of the 2007-08 school year. Semi-structured interviews were conducted during the data collection process to obtain information about how participants perceived and experienced the zero tolerance discipline policies implemented in the Mississippi Delta public schools. The study showed that African American student dropouts perceived that being poor and African American created challenges that caused them to drop out of school. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]