South Florida Lawyers Discuss Schools’ Zero-Tolerance Laws

Though several states, including Florida, have loosened zero-tolerance policies on students who bring guns to schools, some say that schools are still cracking down on students and taking disciplinary actions to extremes.

Take, for instance, the 7-year-old Pembroke Pines student who was expelled last year after he brought a clear plastic toy gun to school. Family members said he forgot to remove the toy from his backpack, but his expulsion was upheld by a hearing officer who works for the district.

It took several months, for an appeal but the second-grader was finally allowed back in school last month. Officials from the Broward school district said the incident would not haunt him for the rest of his academic career, but they say their rigid interpretation of Florida’s zero-tolerance policy still stands.

Source: Zero-Tolerance Laws Eased, But Schools Still Tough, AOL News, October 17, 2010
The South Florida criminal defense attorneys at the law offices of Leifert & Leifert can answer your legal questions regarding weapon possession, drug trafficking, and more.