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Abstract
Horrific events such as the fatal shooting of three high school students in Chardon, Ohio, in the winter of 2012 places tremendous pressure on state and local agencies to ensure that schools provide a safe and conducive learning environment for all students. To help curb school violence, schools have adopted zero-tolerance policies, which often call for an “automatic” punishment and treat offenses with uniform severity regardless of intent, circumstances, or student’s record. This article addresses the issues associated with zero-tolerance policies by examining relevant legislative mandates and case law and provides recommendations for improved practice.
Keywords zero-tolerance, weapons, policy, guns, violence
References
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