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?

Under 8.

What I found horrific is the sports teacher hasn’t said anything to you or reported it themselves yet, surely that’s a safeguarding failure there too, I can’t believe how chill it is over there!

It's the U.S., a very violent country where children are beaten in schools, there's hardly any welfare state or health care, people own guns and school shootings are a problem. A child threatening another child with a knife is probably a completely natural result.

I'd definitely contact the teacher, head and governors (/equivalent) anyway, as it's dangerous.

(I'm in the UK and, to be fair, I did buy a penknife from a postal order catalogue and use it to carve twigs when I was about 9, but I never took it to school or threatened anyone with it.)

Well call the cops and find out?

@DanielGault

Using a knife will be skills he will use as an adult. Hunting and such.

@wellington77

Yes I was surprised I hadn't heard about it. My son said it happened 'a few days ago' so not sure exactly when this occured. We have had a lot of snow days recently so that could be why it wasn't reported....as school was closed? Not sure.

Should you get him started in the car too so?

I'm a primary teacher and another one saying tell the school. At that age, the child won't fully understand the implications of carrying a knife.

It's as much about protecting and safeguarding him as it is the other children.

@DanielGault

Haha not until he's about 12

Well that's a relief!

US … check
Guns …check
knives… check
driving …. Check

Getting close to bingo.

Just need tipping, portion sizes, cheese (and/or spray cheese), or health care.

Nothing I hear or see about the people of America inspires a feeling of confidence or safety.
We used to worry kids would come home from school with a cold. In the US, it seems you have to worry that they actually come home alive.

@VestibuleVirgin

While I totally understand what you are saying, it's not as.if the UK doesn't have a terrible knife problem.

I'm in the UK and I'm ancient.
Back in the day it was very common for most small boys to have a penknife in their pocket.
They may have taken them to school - I don't know.
It wasn't common for kids back then to threaten to stab each other though - other methods of violence were used.
Different times and different places.