my sons 4th grade class went to the cowboy and GUN museum and he almost got suspended for trying to buy a rubber band gun. he was also told that guns were "bad".
^ Exactly.
Key West, it depends entirely on how tight.... err... picky the staff/parents are. If you have an OCD rule psycho they'll make a tadoo. OR if you've had a parent in the past make a stink and worry they'll get fired up again, then you might operate on better safe than sorry. If your school doesn't have an nuts who care more about policy than educating... or parents who are similar... or have students that would actually bring a weapon... then there's no reason for your school to be uber picky... you're very lucky!!
Never know, this school may have had some kid bring a watergun once... and had to deal with the parents going nuclear over their kid getting in trouble... so to avoid them screaming discrimination they had no choice but to be picky about this instance.
Honestly there's no way for spectators to know, and with privacy laws as they are there's no way we'll ever know. But I'm with LJ and Terrie... this is a rule about guns, not patriotism, military, this or that war, left or right, just guns. If the parents have a problem with it then they need to take a petition to the school board, not blatantly defy it just to prove a point, and in the process drag a kid into the middle of a media circus. Most parents are aware when their district has a no weapons policy. Guess there's a small chance that these weren't then I'd wonder about their participation in their kids' schooling... so many just see PS as free babysitting... but again, we don't know. But "I didn't know that was a rule" isn't a valid defense... and is a moot point because the child wasn't punished for violating it. He wasn't given so much as detention, never mind expulsion.
If he'd been punished, while I would be annoyed I couldn't really condemn them for following the policy they are supposed to enforce. It would bite, for the kid, but it would be the rules being in effect for ALL to protect all. But even then, I wouldn't see the need for this circus. Break a rule, get proscribed punishment, the end. The school didn't do anything wrong. Didn't target this kid. Anything like that. They treated him better actually than other kids who bring a toy gun to school. So what's their problem? Why would you want your child, your school, etc blasted all over the media... when he wasn't punished.
Only thing I can figure is that for them this isn't about guns it's about making a statement... and when their statement wasn't allowed to be made they threw a fit. But, again... we'll never know because they wouldn't ever admit that they used an innocent child for political reasons and the school legally can't say what happened.
Worst thing we can do if this is an attention ploy is NOT give the attention seekers what they want.
edit... Mo5... Seriously? They took them to a GUN museum then said they're bad? Wow, that's a new level of moron.
Yep, read about that one too.
The kid and parents knew at the beginning of the year about the no weapons policy and that it included toys. If they had asked in advance they'd have known. Instead they just assumed that Their Case would be okay. Never a good idea. It is interesting don't you think that you study war in school, see pics of memorials (with guns) but a plastic one might inspire violence... I understand that annoyance, but I also understand being advised of a rule and then breaking it. If you want it changed, go for it, but until it is you signed a thing (leastways in our district you have to) saying you got a copy of the rules and agree to abide by them or face the proscribed consequences. Mainly sucks for the kid who put all that work in and then had it shot down.
Save that hat and wear it to your 4th of July parade... not to mention Veteran's Day, Memorial Day... etc. he'll be a hit.
I have to say that a 2" tall toy soldier, even holding a gun, is NOT a toy weapon. A water gun is; as are cap guns, foam swords or foam battle axes. Even a toy cannon that you can sometimes find in a toy soldiers set I can see as a toy gun. A toy soldier is not. How about if he had decorated his hat with a model plane--would it be considered a weapon? If a military plane, you might see guns or canons onfighter models. But on bombers, can you really say whether the model is "armed" with bombs or not? And on 911 civilian passenger planes were turned into weapons. Somewhere common sense and discretion needs to enter in.
The usual reason for no tolerance for toy weapons is that they can be mistaken for real weapons, or used in play as one would use a real weapon. Of course, one can truly make a weapon out of a pencil, or a rubber band, or form ones fingers into a mock gun.
As for the elemetary child who drew pictures of WWII battles, that is quite different than a child drawing a picture that indicates a disturbed mind and violent future plans. It might warrant gently questioning the child about his drawing, much as a teacher ought to ask any of their students to tell them about their pictures. And that conversation might lead to a note home, a visit to the counselor or a compliment about his knowledge of history.
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I'm kind of mixed on this myself. I think over zealous rules are silly, but it is after all a school. Kids are sent there for an education, not for displaying political messages, etc. .....
Laurajean, I would venture to guess that you do not have children in the public school system. Political messages from one side of the spectrum are constantly bombarding the children, being passed off as "well-rounded education". My third grader was asked to write a letter to the president in support of environ polices, although not specfically mentioned, the topic was "Cap and Trade". I don't think so. 
Oh I think he should write a letter 
As to whether it should support or deplore needs to be up to HIM, and you should see that his education on this is balanced before he writes it.
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The child made this cap as a school project. He was representing his version of patriotism. This wasn't something he did on his own, or to try to bend rules. I'm sure his parents have read the handbook, and thought that the rule against toy weapons meant depictions of the weapons themselves (cap guns, rubber knives, that sort of thing) not 3/4" long slivers of plastic in the hand of a 2" tall toy soldier. I agree with the author of the article, the situation was absurd. If the school ban includes toy soldiers, it should specifically say so.
I imagine that the other kids in the class made hats that were red, white and blue, with stripes and/or stars. Those efforts were probably lauded and applauded. We are all aware, are we not, that wearing the flag or anything that appears to be the flag is considered disrespectful of it? How can one be patriotic and disrespectful of one of our nations most revered symbols at the same time?
I don't mind tasteful apparel with the flag--I think society's mores on this have changed since the late '60s. However, when I see it on a rug or napkins, I am appalled! And I have seen it on both! 
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Wolf, I agree ... you study war but can't support a soldier does seem hypocritical...
But, keep in mind that it's the STATE that chooses the textbooks, the districts that make their code of conduct. Least, I'm trying to remember that, it's really annoying but your every day principal, or even super doesn't have that much control over what is taught. All they really have control over is the environment it is taught in. And nowadays the primary concerns seem to be test scores and to avoid lawsuits. That said, it does seem kind of dumb for a teacher to assign a What Is Patriotism project ....
I know that Texas chooses texts for their students, but in other states it is sometimes the school district or even individual schools that choose them. That said, while the districts choose the texts in AZ, there are state standards that they are to be taught by each grade level.
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I'm kind of mixed on this myself. I think over zealous rules are silly, but it is after all a school. Kids are sent there for an education, not for displaying political messages, etc. .....
Laurajean, I would venture to guess that you do not have children in the public school system. Political messages from one side of the spectrum are constantly bombarding the children, being passed off as "well-rounded education". My third grader was asked to write a letter to the president in support of environ polices, although not specfically mentioned, the topic was "Cap and Trade". I don't think so.
Oh I think he should write a letter As to whether it should support or deplore needs to be up to HIM, and you should see that his education on this is balanced before he writes it.
The education is balanced, believe me. 
I'm *that* type of parent.
i would say this is "political correctness" going to far, astray whatever .
did the little boy point his hat at someone and threaten to kill them with its tiny little 1" gun?
geez so sad that THIS is the kind of crap our countries have come to.
So the school/board can not separate fantasy/fake from reality?
I mean what ever happened to common sense?
It is a thousand times better to have common sense without education than to have education without common sense.
Its no wonder kids seem lost and confused now days. We keep sending them mixed messages.
People the kids KNEW IT WAS A TOY!! I'd bet not ONE kid complained, was afraid for their safety/life, or gave a dam about the toy soldiers. The only thing they wanted was to have THEIR hat judged best. But, more mixed messages...............there are no winner or losers. HUH? We can't keep score in little league because the LOSING team might have their feelings hurt? I'll bet the KIDS know who won and who lost.
Give the kids the credit they deserve.
The next Columbine will not be because of toy soldiers, but a confused kid who can no longer figure out the mixed messages his parents and teachers keep sending.
