Thanks, all of you, for your kind words of advice and support.
The whole incident at Va Tech has everyone more vigilant and aware of the potential for irrational reactions from students -- and parents. Our school is having a "code red" lockdown practice drill next week! We have never done this before, but it is part of the times now.
The principals and teachers all know these parents of the boy very well, since most everyone has been subjected to calls or conferences when the boy objected to something in class. The boy will grow up to be a totally dysfunctional adult because of the enabling of his parents, who are sick.
Discussion of guns is so common at my school, it is the rare kid who doesn't own one or doesn't go hunting alone or with friends or dad. When I asked my 6th graders the other day what they liked to do after school, severall of the boys said go out and "shoot their guns." I said, "Well, I hope at nothing living," to which they replied they shoot at lots of living stuff...ie, cats, birds, and one boy went on to brag about how many times he shot a cat. There is a pervasive disregard for life and others' pain.
I will speak further to the principal to express my concern over access to guns with this unstable student.
Patty