Guns in DCPS

[Anonymous]

Agreed. I would move outside DC, OP. I have two kids in dcps. We moved from an root area where there were a lot of neighborhood shootings, including right outside the school, to upper NW… but there have been issues in the high school. Please do consider it seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, DCPS middle schools are probably the safest in the area in terms of potential gun violence because of the metal detectors.

You have got to be joking. Google shootings just outside of schools in DC.

This thread and the post are about guns in schools in the hands of students.

No it’s not. OP is asking if there are policies that keep guns away from students. There is not and there are students who carry guns and fights and heated arguments just outside of schools lead to deadly shootings. In addition, gangs and drugs also add to the problem. It’s easy to target a kid when you know what school they go to.

Yes. But no one is targeting random kids just because they go to DCPS.

+1

There are two separate issues in this thread. I feel strongly about this topic as somebody who attended a school where there was a school shooting as a child. The overarching issue, which has nothing to do with DC schools is the ability for young people to access guns. Arguments and altercations have always happened, but when there is a gun involved, it is obviously a different ball game.

As somebody whose kids attend a DCPS middle school , I like the fact that they have metal detectors because it reassures me there will be no guns in the building. Also, the fact that they collect cell phones in DC middle schools impacts altercations and fights as well. Obviously someone can still target somebody outside of a school regardless of cell phone policies, but there has been research about reductions in altercations and fights when kids don’t have their cell phones to share information or build/hype up a beef or fight.

Unfortunately, at this point guns are prevalent in all corners of our society regardless of where you live. You will need to have a conversation with your kid about the topic. And statistically your kid is safer from mass/school shooting type events if they are in DC.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, the PP is absolutely right, I’m not equipped to deal with guns in schools. That’s why I asked about policies that are in effect now. I know about some of them, based on the two expire we’ve had so far, I just don’t know if this is usual or if my kid is an outlier.

And no, I don’t know what policies would work, I’m not an expert, hence my question. Just trying to do the best I can. Thanks for the constructive responses.

I would say for WOTP your kid is an outlier to have experienced gun violence trauma. EOTP they would be an outlier for not experiencing gun violence trauma until fifth grade.

The policy answer is that there is no effective policy.

Most elementary kids EOTP have not experienced gun violence. So much misinformation on this thread.

Do you consider lock downs (not drills) traumatic?

No, I don”r. I think you minimize the real trauma of impacted kids by saying almost all kids EOTP have experienced trauma.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does DCPS have any policies other than metal detectors that keep guns say from our students? My kid was told in lower elementary by a classmate that there was a gun in the school. Then this year, in 5th, he witnessed the Track meet shooting up close. He’s has been having occasional nightmares since. He’s about to star MS and I’m terrified for him and looking into moving to Arlington. Is this the usual experience for DCPS kids?

Kids in DC don't need to bring guns to school because 90% of the time the person that they have an issue with does NOT attend their school. The neighborhood issues are solved in the neighborhood. Not to mention the metal detectors and the security sweeps deter weapons.

Kids know that they won't make it in with a weapon so why bring it? Every area has it's own share of problems.
Arlington may not have the violence but they sure have the drug culture. A bunch of rich kids with resources and access. I know a few friends of friends whose kids have been in rehab at least once due to the drug culture. I was shocked to learn how pervasive the " pill popping" culture was on the other side of the river.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, the PP is absolutely right, I’m not equipped to deal with guns in schools. That’s why I asked about policies that are in effect now. I know about some of them, based on the two expire we’ve had so far, I just don’t know if this is usual or if my kid is an outlier.

And no, I don’t know what policies would work, I’m not an expert, hence my question. Just trying to do the best I can. Thanks for the constructive responses.

I would say for WOTP your kid is an outlier to have experienced gun violence trauma. EOTP they would be an outlier for not experiencing gun violence trauma until fifth grade.

The policy answer is that there is no effective policy.

Most elementary kids EOTP have not experienced gun violence. So much misinformation on this thread.

Do you consider lock downs (not drills) traumatic?

All schools across the country even in super safe Arlington have lock down drills.

I would have said kids are traumatized about lock down drills. But having gone through one at an elementary school kids found it a mild inconvenience (I tried to hide tears thinking why we were getting low).

Personally, I wish our school would drop the performative drills and focus on drugs/fentanyl. That is by far more likely to impact them.

https://www.uclahealth.org/news/release/about-22-high-school-age-adolescents-died-each-week#:~:text=About%2022%20high%20school%20age,prescription%20pills%20%2D%20Medicine%20%7C%20UCLA%20Health

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, the PP is absolutely right, I’m not equipped to deal with guns in schools. That’s why I asked about policies that are in effect now. I know about some of them, based on the two expire we’ve had so far, I just don’t know if this is usual or if my kid is an outlier.

And no, I don’t know what policies would work, I’m not an expert, hence my question. Just trying to do the best I can. Thanks for the constructive responses.

I would say for WOTP your kid is an outlier to have experienced gun violence trauma. EOTP they would be an outlier for not experiencing gun violence trauma until fifth grade.

The policy answer is that there is no effective policy.

Most elementary kids EOTP have not experienced gun violence. So much misinformation on this thread.

Do you consider lock downs (not drills) traumatic?

All schools across the country even in super safe Arlington have lock down drills.

I would have said kids are traumatized about lock down drills. But having gone through one at an elementary school kids found it a mild inconvenience (I tried to hide tears thinking why we were getting low).

Personally, I wish our school would drop the performative drills and focus on drugs/fentanyl. That is by far more likely to impact them.

https://www.uclahealth.org/news/release/about-22-high-school-age-adolescents-died-each-week#:~:text=About%2022%20high%20school%20age,prescription%20pills%20%2D%20Medicine%20%7C%20UCLA%20Health

22 high school kids die each week from overdose!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, the PP is absolutely right, I’m not equipped to deal with guns in schools. That’s why I asked about policies that are in effect now. I know about some of them, based on the two expire we’ve had so far, I just don’t know if this is usual or if my kid is an outlier.

And no, I don’t know what policies would work, I’m not an expert, hence my question. Just trying to do the best I can. Thanks for the constructive responses.

I would say for WOTP your kid is an outlier to have experienced gun violence trauma. EOTP they would be an outlier for not experiencing gun violence trauma until fifth grade.

The policy answer is that there is no effective policy.

Most elementary kids EOTP have not experienced gun violence. So much misinformation on this thread.

Do you consider lock downs (not drills) traumatic?

No, I don”r. I think you minimize the real trauma of impacted kids by saying almost all kids EOTP have experienced trauma.

Sounds like you’re minimizing the real trauma of kids who have experienced trauma from thinking there’s a shooter in their school? Are you also minimizing OP’s child’s trauma of having witnessed a shooting? Is that also not real trauma?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, the PP is absolutely right, I’m not equipped to deal with guns in schools. That’s why I asked about policies that are in effect now. I know about some of them, based on the two expire we’ve had so far, I just don’t know if this is usual or if my kid is an outlier.

And no, I don’t know what policies would work, I’m not an expert, hence my question. Just trying to do the best I can. Thanks for the constructive responses.

I would say for WOTP your kid is an outlier to have experienced gun violence trauma. EOTP they would be an outlier for not experiencing gun violence trauma until fifth grade.

The policy answer is that there is no effective policy.

Most elementary kids EOTP have not experienced gun violence. So much misinformation on this thread.

Do you consider lock downs (not drills) traumatic?

No, I don”r. I think you minimize the real trauma of impacted kids by saying almost all kids EOTP have experienced trauma.

Sounds like you’re minimizing the real trauma of kids who have experienced trauma from thinking there’s a shooter in their school? Are you also minimizing OP’s child’s trauma of having witnessed a shooting? Is that also not real trauma?

And you think most kids EOTP have witnessed a shooting? And those that have not are the exception?

Witnessing a shooting would be traumatic. I don’t think going on lockdown when someone sets off a firework blocks from school is very traumatic, comparatively speaking. My kids have been locked down several times, including this year. No impact on them. They went to preschool in the middle of Columbia Heights after all. That doesn’t make them traumatized. However, they still occasionally talk about the time the firemen came to the school. I can’t understand trying to equate going on lockdown when kids don’t even know why it is happening to a kid witnessing a shooting.

To your point, I do think schools should end the school shooter drills with kids - with teachers only, sure have at it. I just think it normalizes these incidents and is more harmful than productive long term. If you want to call that mild trauma, I won’t disagree. But it is a huge leap to compare it to witnessing a shooting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, the PP is absolutely right, I’m not equipped to deal with guns in schools. That’s why I asked about policies that are in effect now. I know about some of them, based on the two expire we’ve had so far, I just don’t know if this is usual or if my kid is an outlier.

And no, I don’t know what policies would work, I’m not an expert, hence my question. Just trying to do the best I can. Thanks for the constructive responses.

I would say for WOTP your kid is an outlier to have experienced gun violence trauma. EOTP they would be an outlier for not experiencing gun violence trauma until fifth grade.

The policy answer is that there is no effective policy.

Most elementary kids EOTP have not experienced gun violence. So much misinformation on this thread.

Do you consider lock downs (not drills) traumatic?

No, I don”r. I think you minimize the real trauma of impacted kids by saying almost all kids EOTP have experienced trauma.

Sounds like you’re minimizing the real trauma of kids who have experienced trauma from thinking there’s a shooter in their school? Are you also minimizing OP’s child’s trauma of having witnessed a shooting? Is that also not real trauma?

And you think most kids EOTP have witnessed a shooting? And those that have not are the exception?

Witnessing a shooting would be traumatic. I don’t think going on lockdown when someone sets off a firework blocks from school is very traumatic, comparatively speaking. My kids have been locked down several times, including this year. No impact on them. They went to preschool in the middle of Columbia Heights after all. That doesn’t make them traumatized. However, they still occasionally talk about the time the firemen came to the school. I can’t understand trying to equate going on lockdown when kids don’t even know why it is happening to a kid witnessing a shooting.

To your point, I do think schools should end the school shooter drills with kids - with teachers only, sure have at it. I just think it normalizes these incidents and is more harmful than productive long term. If you want to call that mild trauma, I won’t disagree. But it is a huge leap to compare it to witnessing a shooting.

You continue to not read what I wrote. A school, ironically in Columbia Heights, in lockdown for over an hour, believing a shooter could be in the school. You don’t think that could be traumatic for every child in that school? Bless your heart.

I’m surprised your child hasn’t experienced gun violence while in Columbia Heights. I did multiple times during the course of 9 years there. I’m glad you believe only seeing or feeling bullets is traumatic, hopefully your child feels the same.

Ironically, I just read a WaPo piece about the Annapolis newsroom shootings where the writer says the entire town was traumatized by it. And about Digital Pioneers and the four kids killed that year. But of course their classmates are just thinking about the fire department visit!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/06/30/mass-shooting-annapolis-capital-gazette/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/06/30/digital-pioneers-dc-student-football-killed/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, the PP is absolutely right, I’m not equipped to deal with guns in schools. That’s why I asked about policies that are in effect now. I know about some of them, based on the two expire we’ve had so far, I just don’t know if this is usual or if my kid is an outlier.

And no, I don’t know what policies would work, I’m not an expert, hence my question. Just trying to do the best I can. Thanks for the constructive responses.

I would say for WOTP your kid is an outlier to have experienced gun violence trauma. EOTP they would be an outlier for not experiencing gun violence trauma until fifth grade.

The policy answer is that there is no effective policy.

Most elementary kids EOTP have not experienced gun violence. So much misinformation on this thread.

Do you consider lock downs (not drills) traumatic?

No, I don”r. I think you minimize the real trauma of impacted kids by saying almost all kids EOTP have experienced trauma.

Sounds like you’re minimizing the real trauma of kids who have experienced trauma from thinking there’s a shooter in their school? Are you also minimizing OP’s child’s trauma of having witnessed a shooting? Is that also not real trauma?

And you think most kids EOTP have witnessed a shooting? And those that have not are the exception?

Witnessing a shooting would be traumatic. I don’t think going on lockdown when someone sets off a firework blocks from school is very traumatic, comparatively speaking. My kids have been locked down several times, including this year. No impact on them. They went to preschool in the middle of Columbia Heights after all. That doesn’t make them traumatized. However, they still occasionally talk about the time the firemen came to the school. I can’t understand trying to equate going on lockdown when kids don’t even know why it is happening to a kid witnessing a shooting.

To your point, I do think schools should end the school shooter drills with kids - with teachers only, sure have at it. I just think it normalizes these incidents and is more harmful than productive long term. If you want to call that mild trauma, I won’t disagree. But it is a huge leap to compare it to witnessing a shooting.

You continue to not read what I wrote. A school, ironically in Columbia Heights, in lockdown for over an hour, believing a shooter could be in the school. You don’t think that could be traumatic for every child in that school? Bless your heart.

I’m surprised your child hasn’t experienced gun violence while in Columbia Heights. I did multiple times during the course of 9 years there. I’m glad you believe only seeing or feeling bullets is traumatic, hopefully your child feels the same.

Ironically, I just read a WaPo piece about the Annapolis newsroom shootings where the writer says the entire town was traumatized by it. And about Digital Pioneers and the four kids killed that year. But of course their classmates are just thinking about the fire department visit!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/06/30/mass-shooting-annapolis-capital-gazette/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/06/30/digital-pioneers-dc-student-football-killed/

NP: Of course seeing someone shot dead is worse than being safe in a big building while someone outside has a gun! Both situations ate stressful; one is worse than the other.

Your ridiculous "my trauma is bigger than your trauma" pissing contest is helpful to no one, and certainly not OP, who is wrestling with parenting decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, the PP is absolutely right, I’m not equipped to deal with guns in schools. That’s why I asked about policies that are in effect now. I know about some of them, based on the two expire we’ve had so far, I just don’t know if this is usual or if my kid is an outlier.

And no, I don’t know what policies would work, I’m not an expert, hence my question. Just trying to do the best I can. Thanks for the constructive responses.

I would say for WOTP your kid is an outlier to have experienced gun violence trauma. EOTP they would be an outlier for not experiencing gun violence trauma until fifth grade.

The policy answer is that there is no effective policy.

Most elementary kids EOTP have not experienced gun violence. So much misinformation on this thread.

Do you consider lock downs (not drills) traumatic?

No, I don”r. I think you minimize the real trauma of impacted kids by saying almost all kids EOTP have experienced trauma.

Sounds like you’re minimizing the real trauma of kids who have experienced trauma from thinking there’s a shooter in their school? Are you also minimizing OP’s child’s trauma of having witnessed a shooting? Is that also not real trauma?

And you think most kids EOTP have witnessed a shooting? And those that have not are the exception?

Witnessing a shooting would be traumatic. I don’t think going on lockdown when someone sets off a firework blocks from school is very traumatic, comparatively speaking. My kids have been locked down several times, including this year. No impact on them. They went to preschool in the middle of Columbia Heights after all. That doesn’t make them traumatized. However, they still occasionally talk about the time the firemen came to the school. I can’t understand trying to equate going on lockdown when kids don’t even know why it is happening to a kid witnessing a shooting.

To your point, I do think schools should end the school shooter drills with kids - with teachers only, sure have at it. I just think it normalizes these incidents and is more harmful than productive long term. If you want to call that mild trauma, I won’t disagree. But it is a huge leap to compare it to witnessing a shooting.

You continue to not read what I wrote. A school, ironically in Columbia Heights, in lockdown for over an hour, believing a shooter could be in the school. You don’t think that could be traumatic for every child in that school? Bless your heart.

I’m surprised your child hasn’t experienced gun violence while in Columbia Heights. I did multiple times during the course of 9 years there. I’m glad you believe only seeing or feeling bullets is traumatic, hopefully your child feels the same.

Ironically, I just read a WaPo piece about the Annapolis newsroom shootings where the writer says the entire town was traumatized by it. And about Digital Pioneers and the four kids killed that year. But of course their classmates are just thinking about the fire department visit!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/06/30/mass-shooting-annapolis-capital-gazette/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/06/30/digital-pioneers-dc-student-football-killed/

NP: Of course seeing someone shot dead is worse than being safe in a big building while someone outside has a gun! Both situations ate stressful; one is worse than the other.

Your ridiculous "my trauma is bigger than your trauma" pissing contest is helpful to no one, and certainly not OP, who is wrestling with parenting decisions.

I’m not arguing for ranking of trauma, I’m arguing precisely the opposite. Trauma is trauma, it doesn’t have to be better or worse trauma. The original point was the EOTP far more kids are exposed to trauma at an earlier age than WOTP. OP asked if their child was an outlier. I said yes and no, depending on where they are. Then someone else started arguing that some trauma apparently doesn’t matter because it’s not as bad. I think we can all agree children are statistically more likely to be exposed to gun violence EOTP than WOTP. This is also helpful info for OP because depending on where they are, their child is statistically more or less likely to continue to experience gun violence and her child is statistically more or less likely to encounter a gun in school.