Students carrying firearms is a scary thing. While I have no issue with my oldest toting a firearm, it’s because I know he’s more responsible than some adults I know when it comes to guns. He’s not a threat to anyone who he doesn’t have to be a threat to.

But my son isn’t most kids, and he’s a junior in high school.

What about an elementary school kid? That’s something that folks in Macon, GA are thinking about right now after an elementary student brought a loaded firearm to school.

The Bibb County District Attorney and the sheriff’s office are investigating an incident involving a student who brought a loaded gun to Rosa Taylor Elementary School Wednesday. James Sherlock says there are a lot of items he would expect to find at his daughter’s school, but he says a gun is not one of them. “Not here in a grammar school. I mean, you’ve only got fifth graders in here as high as it goes. You would think teenagers would have something like that, not a smaller child,” says Sherlock. He says fear set in when he got a call letting him know that a student brought a loaded gun to his daughter’s elementary school. “That’s not something that needs to be taken to school. It’s dangerous,” says Sherlock. … “The gun was in a jacket and it was isolated in the classroom,” says Gowan. Gowan says two students handled the gun and three knew about it. That is why Stephanie Hartley with the school district says they want to raise awareness on gun safety. “Talk to parents about making sure that your guns are locked up and that you’re talking to your kids, that they’re talking to administrator when something is going on,” says Hartley.

No one was hurt, but it’s definitely an example of why you need to be aware of your where your guns are at all times.

However, it also illustrates why gun safety should not only be part of schooling but a significant part of the educational process at all grade levels. Kids need to be exposed to firearm education. No, schools shouldn’t have to do it all. There are things even parents can do, like pick this up and read it with your kids.

Further, kids need to see the reality of firearms as it becomes appropriate, but as soon as it’s appropriate. Possibly even sooner, as this case illustrates.

No one wants a senseless tragedy. Please, keep your guns out of the reach of the kids and make sure yours know not to mess with them. More than that, though, do what you can to teach their friends if you get the chance. Some of them may not have parents who know anything about guns, much less how to handle them safely.

Maybe you’ll be the one that stops someone from doing something stupid down the road. Maybe you’ll be the one who prevents something like this at your kids’ school.

That’s a win in anyone’s book.