>In this case, we have a news item that suddenly starts to look like it's going to be a springboard into a discussion on religion and prayer in school, not to mention gun control. These are areas where a profound difference in opinions is likely. There was already one response to the thread calling it inappropriate.

John,

Why should we freeze a thread because of what it might become? Isn't that us deciding what other adults can discuss before the fact? If the thread became threatening and abusive then I would be in support of freezing it, but it hadn't.