Your child comes home and says, “A kid had a gun at school today.” Your first instinct may be to call the school, and it helps to know what to say to your child while you seek answers about what happened. Here is a practical guide to what to do if your child sees a gun at school, including one important safety skill: telling a second trusted adult if the first does not act.

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By Janice Robinson-Celeste

Quick Review

• Teach your child to move away from a weapon, tell an adult, and tell a second adult if the first does not respond.
• Practice simple reporting words at home so your child can use them under stress.
• Ask the school who handles entry screening and how families can report a safety concern.
• If your child reports a gun, listen, document what they tell you, and ask the school in writing what happened next.
• If there is immediate danger, move to safety and call 911.

What Happened At A Cleveland School This Week

On Tuesday, November 10, a third grader brought a firearm to Oliver H. Perry PreK-8 School in Cleveland. According to the principal’s letter to families, an adult saw the weapon, CMSD Safety & Security personnel seized and secured it, Cleveland police were notified, and no one was injured. The district later said a lapse in required screening procedures allowed the firearm into the school. News 5 Cleveland reported CMSD’s statement and the principal’s letter; Cleveland 19 News also reported the screening lapse.

A separate detail requires careful attribution. The father of an eight-year-old student and Councilman Michael Polensek told News 5 that the girl reported seeing a gun to an assistant principal and was told to sit down. Her father and the councilman said she then called for another teacher, who intervened. The district has not publicly confirmed that specific account. News 5 reported that CMSD said adults did not follow safety protocols and that staff who failed required procedures would be held accountable. CMSD police, not Cleveland police, are leading the investigation, according to Cleveland 19. As of November 13, no charges against the student had been announced. These reported details do not establish fault.

On Friday, News 5 reported that several teachers called off and CMSD said substitutes and central office staff covered classes. In a Friday letter, the district listed changes including a second morning entry officer at least through winter break; moving Yondr phone pouches out of the entry area to reduce crowding; sending home bullying information; bullying lessons in every grade Monday and Tuesday; a WAVE team session for second and third grades on November 18; continued mental health support; and moving the Parent Advisory Committee meeting to 9 a.m. December 4. Read News 5’s report on the district’s Friday updates.

Why Telling One Adult Is Not Always Enough

Most children hear a simple and important instruction: tell a trusted adult. Add one more step: if that adult does not respond, tell another adult right away. A child should not have to decide whether a report is serious enough or take responsibility for what adults do next. They only need to keep seeking help until someone listens and responds.

This two-adult rule is a practical backup, not a reason for children to distrust school staff. Adults can be distracted or misunderstand what a child is trying to say. A second report helps the information reach another adult who can act.

What to Teach Your Child About a Gun at School

The Nemours KidsHealth guidance for students recommends getting away quickly and quietly and telling a trusted adult right away. Practice these steps in calm, direct language:

1. Get away from the weapon. Move away quickly and quietly. Do not approach the person or try to see, identify, or retrieve the gun.
2. Tell the nearest adult plainly. Teach your child to say: “I see a gun. It is at [place]. Please get help now.”
3. Tell a second adult if the first does not act. Say more loudly and clearly: “There is a gun. I told [adult’s role or name], but I need help now.” Go to another teacher, staff member, or school officer.
4. Never touch or hold it. Even if it looks like a toy, leave it alone and move away.
5. Do not promise secrecy. If a friend shows them a weapon or says one is at school, explain that safety concerns must be shared with an adult.
6. Remind them that reporting is not tattling. Reporting means asking for help to keep people safe. The National Association of School Psychologists advises adults to explain the difference between reporting and tattling in age-appropriate terms.

Practice The Words At Home

Keep the conversation short and calm. You might say: “If you see a gun, walk away. Tell an adult, ‘I see a gun. Please get help now.’ If that adult does not help, tell another adult right away. You will not be in trouble for asking for help.”

Try a two-minute role-play in the car or at bedtime. You play the adult; your child practices moving away and saying the words. Then pretend the first adult is distracted and let your child practice telling a second adult. Praise the clear report, not a dramatic performance.

What To Do If Your Child Was The One Who Reported It

Start by believing your child and thanking them for speaking up. Listen without leading questions. Write down the date, time, place, names or roles your child remembers, and the words they used. Ask the school in writing what happened after the report and what steps were taken to address the concern.

If you need to follow up, use a clear escalation ladder: classroom teacher, principal, district safety and security office, superintendent, school board, then appropriate state or local authorities. For an immediate threat, do not wait for the ladder; get to safety and call 911. For guidance on school responses and family communication, see SCN’s What Happens When a School Gets a Threat: A Parent’s Guide. Put it in writing and keep the reply.

Sandy Hook Promise estimates that 4.6 million American children live in a home where at least one gun is kept loaded and unlocked.

4.6 million children live with a loaded, unlocked gun at home.

Know a parent who needs this? Send it to them.

The Part Parents Control: Secure Storage At Home

Sandy Hook Promise also reports that nearly half of parents with a gun in the home wrongly believe their children do not know where it is stored. Make secure storage part of your family’s safety routine, and speak plainly with children about not touching or handling a firearm.

Ohio law generally prohibits knowingly conveying or possessing a deadly weapon in a school safety zone, with listed exceptions; violations are generally a fifth-degree felony. See Ohio Revised Code Section 2923.122 for the law and exceptions.

You can also ask your school: What entry screening procedures are used? Who is responsible for them? How should a student or parent report a concern, and what should a child do if the first adult is unavailable?

If Your Child Is Anxious About Going Back

Reassure your child without promising that nothing bad can ever happen. Validate their feelings, answer questions simply, keep familiar routines, and limit repeated news coverage and social videos. NASP recommends watching for changes in sleep, appetite, or behavior. If distress persists or interferes with daily life, contact the school counselor or your child’s health professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should My Child Call 911 Or Tell A Teacher First?

If a trusted adult is nearby, tell that adult immediately and move away from the weapon. If no adult is available, or danger is immediate, call 911 from a safe place. Nemours KidsHealth advises students who cannot find an adult to call 911.

What If The Adult Does Not Believe My Child?

Teach your child to leave the area and tell a second adult immediately, using clear words: “I saw a gun and need help now.” As the parent, contact the school promptly and document what your child reported.

Can My Child Report A Gun Anonymously?

Some schools offer anonymous reporting, but options vary by district. Sandy Hook Promise’s Say Something Anonymous Reporting System serves students in grades 4 to 12 through an app, text, phone hotline, and website. The organization reports receiving more than 421,000 anonymous tips and preventing 20 planned school shootings. Ask whether your school participates. For immediate danger, use 911 rather than relying on an anonymous tip.

How Do I Ask My School About Screening?

Write or call the principal or district safety office. Ask what screening procedures are in place, who oversees them, and how students should report a concern. Ask how families will receive updates about safety procedures.

What is your school’s screening and reporting process, and have you practiced a simple reporting script with your child?

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