M.U. Lujan Elementary School in Yona on Aug. 2, 2023.
Photo by Frank San Nicolas/The Guam Daily Post
HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A recent weapons incident at M.U. Lujan Elementary raises questions about parental accountability, and the Guam Police Department is reminding parents they could face consequences if their children bring weapons to school.
On Wednesday, GPD officers responded to the Yona elementary school and confiscated an unloaded pellet gun and multiple knives from a student. The incident is not the first time that officers have been called to respond to similar incidents at a Guam Department of Education school: an Untalan Middle School student was found with a BB gun in 2022.
“Concern about our youths’ access to dangerous items at home or in the community is a shared responsibility. Teaching starts at home. Parents can prevent students from bringing knives to school by educating them about the legal and personal consequences of carrying prohibited items,” GPD spokesperson Norman Analista told The Guam Daily Post.
He said parents need to establish clear rules, consequences, and expectations for their child’s behavior and enforce them consistently.
“They can also randomly check their child’s school bag or belongings to ensure they’re not holding prohibited items. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Analista said.
He stressed that pellet guns are “not toys” and should be stored properly and treated as “real firearms.”
“Knives are common and accessible kitchen items, and they should be stored properly and out of the reach of young children, especially. Pellet guns can cause serious injuries and should always be treated as real firearms, not toys, with the proper storage,” Analista said.
He encouraged parents to be attentive toward their children’s behavior and educate themselves on conflict resolution, anger management and modeling positive behaviors for children.
“If a student exhibits concerning behavior, parents should attempt to determine the root cause of that behavior. The student might be dealing with an issue and does not know how to express it. They may need to be taught effective conflict resolution strategies and healthier coping mechanisms. This may include open communication with school staff or trusted adults,” Analista said, noting parents can also attend school meetings and work with parent-teacher-student organizations to support safety initiatives.
While GPD could not comment on the incident at M.U. Lujan due to the ongoing investigation dealing with the minor, Analista said a parent can be held liable as a result of their child’s actions in some instances.
“In general, parents could be held liable for their children’s actions in certain situations. If parents were negligent in their parental duties, such as control or supervision, or if they directly participated in or encouraged the criminal act, they could face consequences,” Analista said.
He provided reassurance to the community that GPD “will continue to enforce laws by investigating incidents where youth have gained access to weapons, potentially leading to charges against adults or juvenile delinquency proceedings. GPD will respond to tips and reports about youths with weapons, whether they come from schools, parents or other community members.”
GPD asked the community to be vigilant and to report suspicious behavior.
“If anyone is concerned about a student attempting to bring a weapon to school or is exhibiting concerning behavior, they should contact GPD through 911. If a student is uncomfortable calling 911, they should tell an adult they trust right away. This may be a teacher, parent, (or) coach. They should give as many details as they can, such as what they saw, what type of weapon(s), where the incident happened, and who was involved,” Analista said.