These policies make offenses such as bringing weapons to school equal am immediate suspension or expulsion. However, in recent years they have been stretched to include such offenses as bringing toy guns to school or, in the case of older students, forgetting that a knife or rifle used for hunting was still in a vehicle or backpack. In these cases, where the individual components leading up to the incident are not considered, the students' rights are denied as per the Supreme Court decision. Interestingly, many of these same arguments are used against the issue of zero-tolerance criminal policies.
Thus, it is clear that maintaining a classroom while ensuring student rights is no easy task. However, in the United States where freedom is appreciated, it is necessary. Because of this, it is important that teachers and students consult the U.S. Constitution, along with relevant Supreme Court cases in one's state and on the federal level, so that all parties involved...
Further, the purpose of an education is to teach students how to interact with society when they are forced to do so in the real world. Because of this, it is quite interesting to note that policies in public and school politics, as well as the arguments for and against them, mirror each other.
References
Mitchell, H.W. & Knechtle, J.C. (2003, Fall). Uniforms in Public Schools and the First
Amendment: A Constitutional Analysis. Retrieved 27 Aug., from Find Articles: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3626/is_200310/ai_n9248747/
"U.S. Constitution." (2009). Retrieved Aug. 27, 2009, from U.S. Constitution Online:
http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am1
U.S. Courts. (n.d.). Landmark Supreme Court Cases Involving Students. Retrieved Aug.
27, 2009, from the Federal Judiciary: http://www.uscourts.gov/outreach/resources/landmark_studentcases.htm
