zero tolerance  has evolved into an "automatic "rote" answer that has the 
effect of mandating punishment for infractions under that umbrella for all 
those "caught under it, regardless of merits of any particular case or a 
reasoned, consistently applied common sense solution to any problem.
examples abound locally, and the kids growing up topday in the non paper age 
will be labelled and have a tail on them forever. Not many of todays adults 
realize ALL the implications of the xero tolerance issue and ramifications of 
same .
--- Maximus 3.01
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