[Mr Rogers]

I'm 48. I started carrying a knife to school when I was in the third grade. My classmates and I would stand around on the playground and see how far we could throw our knives and have them stick in the ground.

But at least we didn't bring 3 inch red water pistols to school!

[andy58-in-nh]

I'm the same age as you. I frequently carried a knife to school (worn on my belt in a leather holster). The public sphere, now governed by lawyers and the threat of litigation, has indeed gone mad. That said, the kid made a mistake.

He should have brought in a condom. They would have made him "Pupil of the Month".

[jmq]

I'm about to be 48 and in my 6th grade summer school in KC we had a rifle range under our gym where we brought our dad's 22 and shot short 22 to learn gun safety and aiming. This was a private school called Pembroke Country Day.