A few comments.
One. My son is in private school, it is Christian oriented but not denominational...just a private school with a good rep that emphasizes God, prayer, sports AND academics. He's 4 years old by the way, he was making "guns" out of legos and his teacher told him to stop and sent a note home about it. I explained that guns "scared some people" and that he was not to talk about guns at school...he's been OK since and hasn't lost his interest in firearms.
Two. I'm only 29, when I was in Junior High I had a pair of jeans that had Bart Simpson on a skateboard with an Uzi spitting auto. Not one word was said...that wasn't too long ago but definitely pre-Columbine.
Three. If schools have this zero tolerance policy regarding guns they need to have a real zero policy towards drugs, physical violence and behavioral issues that impact the academic performance of the entire class. Guns do not breed school shooting, it's the continued un-punished and unaddressed bullying of geeks that lead to school shootings...guns are just the means these idiots use to get their revenge and play martyr. If they crack down on the real important issues. I also think this liberal coddling is leading to the creation of more geeks who need to strike back.
Four. I (and probably most of you here) do not rely on my son's school to teach him values. I rely on them to educate him and to introduce him to spirituality that I do not necessarily understand or agree with but I believe it will make him a better person as he grows into adulthood. A lot of parents think schools are supposed to form their children into adults and that will lead to a lot of very liberal individuals who's view of reality is skewed by "what should be" instead of what is. A world without guns in peace and harmony sounds so great you almost want to believe it...but most of us know it'd be the exact opposite.
Five. All we can do is instill our values and principles into our children and project an image that plays down the Bubba's and the Nuge's and spread our "culture" to those who are curious, which is a majority of the population in my opinion. I don't agree with you guys on a lot of political/social stuff but I take any chance I can to get others to see the side of what I love that isn't shown on the news and in Hollywood.
At the end of the day you have to respect the laws/rules or I suppose making your own is an option through home schooling BUT think about the sterotypical image of a Bubba. A recluse individual, paranoid, thinks everyone wants to get him, armed to the teeth to protect himself. I don't think that's the solution to the problem and probably isn't the best representative to further the cause...I'm not disrespecting anyone's decisions or lifestyles by any means, just trying to show how the people who will end up making decisions will view that type of attitude.
I do think sometimes you have to respect others opinions, voice your own, and get some dialog doing. Might do no good but better than nothing.