School Related Predicament for My Son - Advice Needed

• SnotBubbles

  

  Two days a week after school my son goes to a "latch key" program sponsored by the local YMCA. It's essentially a program put in place for parents who work late and can't pick their children up right after school. I go pick him up when I get off two days a week.
  
  Tonight I go pick him up (he is 6 and in 1st grade) and before we leave the library he reaches into his backpack and hands me a bullet. A small, handgun bullet that appears to be live. I asked him where he got it and he points at a kid sitting there watching a movie. At first my mind just went all over the place (this is a rural school, rated excellent with fairly well off families). As he gets his coat on I ask to see it again (in front of the latch key leader), I take it and we leave.
  
  He told me in the car that he traded the kid a "smencil" (scented pencil) for it. I told him that the kid could get in big trouble for bringing it and assured my son he wasn't in trouble.What would you do? School officials were gone by the time I got there, so I need to take action tomorrow.
  
  What had my stomach in knots is that my son is a very sweet, caring kid. He was in tears because he didn't want this kid to not be his friend anymore. I did my best to explain it was a safety issue, if the kid knows where the ammunition is, chances are he knows where the gun is. I feel bad for him....I hate that he has been thrust into this situation.
  
  So I guess this is more for you parents out there. I've been going back and forth on what to do. I know I have to report it. But do I try and contact his parents direct, or do I call the school....or am I totally overreacting? The kid is a bigger, bully type looking kid (ironically dressed in camo today, not that that's important). I don't want my hard working, well behaved kid to suffer socially because of the decision I make in this instance...but I don't want anyone to get hurt. I went to elementary school with a kid who got in his dad's gun safe and accidentally shot himself dead. So that makes me more nervous about it.
  
  Need advice. Thanks.
• Rotinaj

  

  Just tell the school and let them take care of it.
• said_aouita

  

  Find a new "latch key" and change YMCA's.
  

  Rotinaj;1318675 wrote:Just tell the school and let them take care of it.

  This too.
• tk421

  

  it's a bullet, not a gun. you're overreacting. About as dangerous by itself as a rock.
• Crimson streak

  

  I would contact the parents attention first. The kid probably didn't know what he was doing and he may get kicked out of the day care. If the parents aren't going to do anything about it then I would tell the school.
• Sonofanump

  tk421;1318685 wrote:it's a bullet, not a gun. you're overreacting. About as dangerous by itself as a rock.

  You are assuming that the gun and the ammo are at two different places in the other kids house. Hopefully, but...
• Sonofanump

  I am also assuming that the kid brought it from home and not found it on the street.
• tk421

  

  Either way, if you want to contact anyone contact that kid's parents. You bring the school into it, the kid is going to get suspended, it will go on his record, he will probably be sent for counseling, depending on what part of the country you live in the cops may show up at his house, etc. All kinds of overreaction. Like said above, he may have found it on the ground somewhere and thought it was cool.
• Crimson streak

  

  tk421;1318710 wrote:Either way, if you want to contact anyone contact that kid's parents. You bring the school into it, the kid is going to get suspended, it will go on his record, he will probably be sent for counseling, depending on what part of the country you live in the cops may show up at his house, etc. All kinds of overreaction. Like said above, he may have found it on the ground somewhere and thought it was cool.

  
  Agree 100%
• sleeper

  

  Contact the school and say you found a bullet on the premises and you want it checked out.
• ernest_t_bass

  

  Why is no one talking about Snot's kid having a "smencil?"
• mcburg93

  

  Go to the kids parents first. It may be just something laying somewhere it wasnt suppose to be. I know I have put some ammo down on a counter a few times while I was putting up my guns. So it is easy for a kid to grab a shell. It could have been just as easy dropped out of the parents pocket and the kid found it in the yard. I would say something to them if they are willing to figure out what happened then I would just leave the school out of it.
• SnotBubbles

  

  My wife and I talked and we decided to contact the kids parents. We didn't know them, but sadly we live in a world where we can track down a parent of a 7 year old via Google. Single mom, dad was moving this past weekend and she thinks he may have picked it up there. Hopefully this was the right call. We didn't want to get the kid in trouble (a 7 year old doesn't have the intent of shooting up a school, we realized that), but we just didn't want him or someone else to get hurt because of poorly put up weapons/ammunition.Thanks for the advice.And ETB, no one is mocking the smencil because everyone knows they are bad ass. I use them all the time at work.
• Timber

  Not sure about this one??? Since everyone is hypothesizing.... What if the kids parents are unstable and they take it out on the bully for taking the bullet from home. Many times a trouble maker is just treating people at school, the way they are treated at home.
  
  I have a first grade daughter myself and there is plenty of drama for sure, but I do not think I would be too worried about your son being bullied at this age. Recess supervision should be made aware of the situation and watched a little more attentively.
  
  Do 1st graders get suspended?? I would think the age of the student would dictate that a warning is issued to the family, that if any further issues happen, then a suspension is imminent.
  
  Good luck!
• Timber

  oops... I was a minute late Glad it is working out.
• Ironman92

  

  Yeah....regardless of age, the bullet, pocket knife etc are automatic suspensions from most schools.
• Apple

  

  Possibly a missed opportunity to sue the school for child endangerment. Snot could have been filthy rich.
  
  In all seriousness, contacting the parent(s) of the other child was the way I would have gone as well.
• dlazz

  I'd have a talk with your son about bartering. He clearly lost out on the deal by trading a smencil for a bullet. He didn't even know if the bullet was live or not.
  
  A simple chat now can save him hundreds of dollars in the future.
• SnotBubbles

  

  dlazz;1319470 wrote:I'd have a talk with your son about bartering. He clearly lost out on the deal by trading a smencil for a bullet. He didn't even know if the bullet was live or not.
  
  A simple chat now can save him hundreds of dollars in the future.

  He actually made out like a bandit. I felt bad that he lost out on his smencil and didn't have anything to show for it. So I had an old 5-6" tall WW2 bullet (not live) I bought years ago that I gave him and am getting him 2 new smencils.
• thePITman

  

  SnotBubbles;1319500 wrote:He actually made out like a bandit. I felt bad that he lost out on his smencil and didn't have anything to show for it. So I had an old 5-6" tall WW2 bullet (not live) I bought years ago that I gave him and am getting him 2 new smencils.

  You just got played by your son. Haha!
• friendfromlowry

  What movie was the other kid watching? This is important, please reply soon.
• GoChiefs

  

  Semi related, not really. Son came home tonight and a kid came up to him and 2 of his friends that he was going to bring his dads gun in to school and shoot everybody. Would you just let it slide? My sons friends mother is calling the school tomorrow.
• Ghmothwdwhso

  SnotBubbles;1318670 wrote:Two days a week after school my son goes to a "latch key" program sponsored by the local YMCA. It's essentially a program put in place for parents who work late and can't pick their children up right after school. I go pick him up when I get off two days a week.
  
  Tonight I go pick him up (he is 6 and in 1st grade) and before we leave the library he reaches into his backpack and hands me a bullet. A small, handgun bullet that appears to be live. I asked him where he got it and he points at a kid sitting there watching a movie. At first my mind just went all over the place (this is a rural school, rated excellent with fairly well off families). As he gets his coat on I ask to see it again (in front of the latch key leader), I take it and we leave.
  
  He told me in the car that he traded the kid a "smencil" (scented pencil) for it. I told him that the kid could get in big trouble for bringing it and assured my son he wasn't in trouble.What would you do? School officials were gone by the time I got there, so I need to take action tomorrow.
  
  What had my stomach in knots is that my son is a very sweet, caring kid. He was in tears because he didn't want this kid to not be his friend anymore. I did my best to explain it was a safety issue, if the kid knows where the ammunition is, chances are he knows where the gun is. I feel bad for him....I hate that he has been thrust into this situation.
  
  So I guess this is more for you parents out there. I've been going back and forth on what to do. I know I have to report it. But do I try and contact his parents direct, or do I call the school....or am I totally overreacting? The kid is a bigger, bully type looking kid (ironically dressed in camo today, not that that's important). I don't want my hard working, well behaved kid to suffer socially because of the decision I make in this instance...but I don't want anyone to get hurt. I went to elementary school with a kid who got in his dad's gun safe and accidentally shot himself dead. So that makes me more nervous about it.
  
  Need advice. Thanks.

  
  Just sad to me that you are looking for advice from a bunch of delinquents and strangers on a web site. That scares me more that any bullet found by a kid in 1st grade. Grow a pair!!!!
• mtp2013

  

  I would first ask your son if he knew the kid's name. If he says yes, contact the school, inform them about what all happened, give them the kid's name who traded him for the bullet, and maybe set up some sort of meeting with the principal.
  
  
  
  Good luck! Hope all goes well!
• Con_Alma

  I would change* our lifestyle so either my wife or myself was able to pick up my kids from school each day. He's only 6.