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Zero tolerance is when words on paper make decisions instead of letting people judge what's right. The unjustified paranoia surrounding school violence is absurd, and the mass media are entirely to blame.
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I don't think the school officials really believe that a butter knife justifies expulsion, I think they're afraid of lawsuits brought by the unjustifiably paranoid. They may worry that granting an exception to the policy (which is probably way too strictly worded or unflexible) this time will result in them having to grant an exception later, when there's a real threat. They may also be worried that in the unlikely event that this girl does eventually hurt someone, some idiot is going to start screaming about how it was preventable and the authorities ignored an incident that was a clear warning of her violent tendencies. It's fear of motivated idiots that seem to drive these decisions more than any legitimate concern for safety.