I'd like to get more specifics about their problems. Beyond actually bringing weapons, it seems there's no more tolerance for threats of violence. Districts here suspend the kids for a couple days or send them to an alternative school. The laws vary from state to state and the policies are all over the place. I hope that people making these decisions are looking at the use of such strict disruptive interventions such as suspension and expulsion carefully.
Most youths can learn from their problems.
Schools should be looking at interventions that will result in the child not repeating the behavior again and reducing the likelihood that it will be copied by others. Suspension and expulsion without education has not been shown to do this. Effective alternative programs do work. Personally, I would love to hear more reporters seriously ask these questions. My point is that zero tolerance has become political rhetoric.