To think we need to contact the school about knife

[HuckleberryBlackcurrant]

DS 7 told me last night at dinner that a kid pulled a penknife on him after he bumped into the other child accidentally. This child is 8 or 9 I think.

DS went straight to a teacher who chastised the other boy.

I told DS to stay far away from this child and explained that sometimes people can do crazy things and the fact that this child had threatened him might indicate this child is dangerous. My son was upset, saying that this was his friend. I told him that is not the way friends behave and reiterated he was to stay away from this boy. I think my son was a little scared when I said this, but honestly I don't mind him being slightly afraid of a child who brandishes a knife. There are so many kids who watch all kinds of violent things nowadays, so who knows what this child may do.

My husband thought I was overreacting and said that at that age he stupidly brought a knife to school too and it's just a typical thing kids do. While I can see this, this child wasn't just showing off this knife, from what my son described, he threatened him.

I'm considering calling the school or at least contacting the teacher, but I'm afraid to make my son a target or make a mountain out of a molehill.

WWYD?

@sprigatito

I think this is very reasonable and we do plan to buy our son his own knife when he turns 8. Obviously teaching responsibility.

Well so yeah, them using them under your supervision is a totally different scenario. I let my kids cut with scissors when I’m there.

@HuckleberryBlackcurrant Im sorry if I made you feel like that, I was just shocked.
You’re not stupid at all, like I said it must be incredibly confusing having the thoughts and ideals that we grew up with and living around totally different ones now. It’s just two very different ways of life so it would probably be best to get advice of people living the same experience as you. Tough to navigate I bet.

Bloody hell!

Yes, I agree with that. I had a tiny penknife when I was about 8, for peeling bark off sticks, sharpening pencils and so on. I was allowed to keep it in my bedroom and to take it out with me whenever I wanted (it was only tiny). But I'd never have thought to use it as a weapon, and I had been taught how to use it safely. There's a world of difference between using a knife for playing at bushcraft (or for slicing bread) and using it to threaten someone.

@Mummame222

There have definitely been and continue to be many culture shocks. It's a very insular, rural community. I'm glad I asked because I got a jolt of 'this is not normal'. Thankfully the teacher is taking it seriously and thanked me for letting her know. Guess I need to have a chat with DH who seems think it's some playful hijinks.

To put it into context, I’m a teacher in your run of the mill comprehensive school, south east, rated “good”. The last kid that brought a knife to school was permanently excluded.

@C4tintherug

There's not another school in town so I don't think the could be excluded....at 9 years old??

I would report it and if I knew who the parent was I'd speak to them too.

Head

At my secondary students have been both temporarily (when it was some kind of a trick knife) and permanently excluded for bringing in knives. Knives were never used, no one was threatened wit them.

Well the child is breaking the law so yes report

If the child is old enough to have a knife they are old enough to learn appropriate use and safety.

And threatening a friend is definitely not appropriate of safe.

My child told me that a classmate brought a knife to school when he was a similar age and that they said that they would bring it in the next day too. I told the school what I’d heard. I was especially concerned as my son was one of many who walked home from school without an adult. The school contacted the police and both took it very seriously and the child was excluded here too.
My children are allowed to use knives to cook or do appropriate things but are definitely not allowed to take a knife outside the home. Being caught with a knife out of the home is a serious police issue here in the UK.

But the teacher knows?
So why will they look into it

I was going to say the first step is to speak to teacher and get their understanding of what happened. 7yr olds are not the most reliable narrators.
I do think 7yr olds also do stupid things and maybe a pretend threat would never cone to anything.
But the school should make it clear knives are not allowed in school.

HT (I'm a teacher. This is serious. Go straight to the top.)

You must report it for everyone's safety in the school

It's a safeguarding issue too in relation to the child with said pen knife (and dangerous to everyone else)

Right. Then there's no recourse and the kid is allowed to carry a knife to school. Are there laws against threatening people with them?

@benjoin

I'm sure there are laws against it. I'm not fluent in them though.

@WearyAuldWumman

Thank you, my son's teacher assured me she will communicate with the head.

@Mumof2teens79

So my son spoke to the PE teacher, not his homeroom teacher. I did clarify with her I don't think I have the full story. She said she would look into it.

In a country (and State) with concealed carry licenses and a kid who is already threatening other children with weapons?

Fuck that.

I have sons that age and they have pocket knives as do all their friends (so I’m not reacting to that part) but I’d be really upset about the threatening aspect, and I’d think it would raise red flags with the school along with the fact that the knife even made it in without a parent noticing. I shake down my DSs pockets for multi-tools any time we go anywhere, lol.

How old are your children? I cannot remember being supervised, and I can remember unsupervised use before school. Though what you can let an only do is different from what you can allow with kids playing together

Why would you do that? I'm not in the states but but we all survived over here without cutting twigs or whatever.