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...
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