guns in elementary schools

Last Thursday I received a call from Owen's principal. I wasn't home to receive this call. She did , however, leave a message and asked for me to call her back. Her message stated that something involving Owen happened at school today and she was sure Owen would have a story for me when he got home. She also said that he was not in trouble. When I did call her back, she was in a meeting and couldn't take my call. Owen came home before she was able to return my call. I had to ask him 3x what had happened at school. It wasn't that he didn't want to tell me, it was more like he didn't recall. I finally got the story out of him. At lunch a girl from his class pulled a toy gun on him. She pointed it at his head, said watch out! and pulled the trigger. Owen was not bothered by this as we allow toy guns in our home, but he knew the rule : No guns at school!: So he told the lunch aide.
When Owen's principal called back she said the only part of the 2 stories that lined up was in fact that the girl did have a toy gun at school. Mrs. Haldamen said that there was no denying that the gun was a toy because it was bright orange. The girl was to get a "considerable amount of time out of school." I told the principal that I didn't think that was the answer to the problem,however she was following the rules when something like this takes place.
Now last night a boy in a different school district did bring a loaded hand revolver to school. He had told someone about it at the bus stop and they informed school officials immediately. There happened to be an officer at the school to do the drug talk and he obtained the gun. The boy is going to get disciplinary actions and the news said that the police aren't sure yet if there will be charges against this 9 year old boy.
This brought to light the seriousness of Owen's encounter! It could have easily been a real hand gun and Owen could have been shot! It is so scary to think what could have been! After hearing the news last night I looked at Owen and said " Owen that could have been a real gun, and you could have been shot! This is why we don't play with guns, even BB guns!" His reply was "I know but a BB gun can't kill." Whoa! did that just come out of my 7 year old! I plainly stated that even though it can't kill someone it can still hurt someone if they got shot in the eye or ear.
I thanked God last night that it wasn't a real gun that she brought in to school on Thursday and that Owen was safe!