Gun Free DC

Or maybe not.

What I find most interesting about this incident, where a local parent illegally owned a gun that her kid took with her to school, is that the parent was not only released from school but the whole incident is being handled and reported in a pretty reasonable manner.

Williams, 32, of the 1800 block of North Capitol Street was released on personal recognizance after a hearing yesterday in D.C. Superior Court. The charging papers quoted her as saying that she knew the gun was loaded and that she did not realize that it was missing until the school called.

Mindy Good, a spokeswoman for the District's Child and Family Services Agency, said that Williams and her mother have joint custody of the girl and that the child will be allowed to remain with them. She said the city has no record of previous problems with the family.

Assistant D.C. Police Chief Gerald M. Wilson, who heads the department's school security division, said the gun was so small that "I'm sure I could have put it in my pants pocket." Students, faculty members and school officials acted quickly and appropriately, he said.

"There was no menacing behavior," Wilson said. "At no time, beyond the fact that the weapon was present, were children in danger."

The school's principal yesterday sent a letter to parents saying that a social worker would talk with the girl's second-grade classmates in a "healthy dialogue" about the incident and what they can learn from it.

In his letter, Principal Robert G. Taylor stressed that the incident was "rare and extremely unusual." He said the school would perform "a security audit" and encouraged parents to speak with their children about firearm safety.

Wilson echoed that recommendation.

"School safety is a partnership that starts at home," he said. "When one of those components breaks down, we have a problem."

WOW.

Now, what do you think the chances of them treating this case so lightly if it was you or I? I wonder what their reaction is going to be if Ms. Willims ever actually uses the gun to defend her family?