A zero-tolerance policy against fighting, is coming under fire in Warren.  A group of area pastors is trying to get three girls who were expelled for fighting back to class at Harding High School. And tonight, a rally was held to raise awareness of their efforts.

The recent expulsion of three students for fighting at Warren G. Harding High School is drawing some attention from church leaders in the area. Several clergy have asked to meet with the school board, asking for leniency with the students. They claim zero-tolerance across the board, is simply too severe.

"TO ADDRESS THE DISCIPLINE POLICY FOR THE WARREN CITY SCHOOLS. HOW IT SHOULD BE ADMINISTER RED, IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE NOT AGAINST THE POLICY OF DISCIPLINE. WE'RE AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATION OF HOW IT'S BEING DEALT WITH."

Superintendent Kathryn Hellweg disagrees, saying the policy was put into place because of fear for the students' safety.

"THREE YEARS AGO..THERE WERE LOTS AND LOTS OF FIGHTS IN THIS DISTRICT, FIGHTS GOING ON."

But the clergy would like discipline to be on a case-by-case basis. And their meeting was a chance for the public to give its input on the policy. So far this year 13 students have been expelled due to Zero Tolerance.

"CHILDREN SHOULD BE SUSPENDED FOR FIGHTING. WE DO NOT LEARN UNLESS WE EXPERIENCE THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR ACTIONS, WE KNOWN THAT. BUT USE A DEGREE OF DISCRETION BECAUSE CHILDREN MUST LEARN AND CHILDREN DO FIGHT. WE'VE SEEN GROWN PEOPLE IN BOARD MEETINGS FIGHT. IT'S NOT RIGHT. BUT DO NOT USE THE MAX WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO."

There is another rally scheduled for tomorrow night, at the New Jerusalem Fellowship Church. The group hopes to gather information and eventually pass it on to the school board, in hopes to get the policy changed.