Students buy stun guns because they feel unsafe getting to school. Should they be expelled?

Some Palm Beach County students who buy small stun guns online to protect themselves as they walk to school or the bus stop have ended up expelled under the state's zero-tolerance policy for weapons on school campuses.

Designed to protect students from others using weapons such as guns on campuses, Florida's policy requires school districts to expel students for one year if they're found with weapons at school, on school transportation or at a school-related event.

Last school year, 49 of the 60 students expelled from public schools in Palm Beach County were removed for weapons violations. The district's expulsion paperwork doesn't always list the type of weapon.

In Palm Beach County, the zero-tolerance policy that dates back to 2002 covers Tasers, firearms, knives and boxcutters in addition to guns and explosive devices. An expulsion shows up on a student's permanent academic record and is likely to affect college admissions. If they're arrested, the impacts ripple out even further.