A teenager at a Phoenix middle school was suspended for five days after he told a teacher he took a pocketknife to school without realizing it. Was the punishment too harsh, or was the school right to enforce its zero-tolerance policy on weapons?
"If the teacher knew the kid had it, why would he get in trouble? If they found it on him and he didn't tell, that would be worse. He shouldn't have gotten suspended. They should have just called his parents."
Samantha Hancock, 13, seventh-grader
"At least he was honest so he should have been suspended for less time. If he would have hidden it from the teacher, it would have been a different story. They might have thought he could have attacked someone. He shouldn't have brought it in the first place, but he came out and was honest."
Hiram Ramirez, 13, seventh-grader
People are also reading…
"I think he should have gotten suspended for a shorter amount of time. He was honest about bringing it to school, and he should have been suspended for a day or two."
Alisha Al-Qallaf, 14, eighth-grader
"I think it was fair only if he meant to bring it to school, but he didn't mean to. It was an accident. I don't think it should matter because he was honest. At least he told someone about it."
Joseph Hicks, 12, seventh-grader
