Another day, another gun found on a school campus.

This time, it happened Wednesday, February 8, at Cass High School in Bartow County.

Principal Steve Revard alerted parents of the “Colonel Family” via e-mail that Wednesday afternoon, they got information that a student may have been in possession of a firearm.

“Administration and campus police immediately followed up on the rumor, investigated, and recovered a loaded firearm without incident,” wrote Revard. “The student is now facing serious school and legal consequences.”

Jack Norton, whose son is a freshman at Cass High, applauded the quick actions of the school officials, and the school’s transparency in alerting families. Norton tells WSB he got a recorded voice mail telling the parents to check their e-mails, and that’s where he saw the news.

“I wasn’t really concerned all that much,” says Norton. “By the time we got the message, it was all said and done. The system that they use for situations like this, this is just a testament to how well it works.”

Norton says the incident was handled without a lockdown, as he learned when he asked his son, a Cass High freshman, about it.

“Evidently, it was a covert operation,” he laughs. “They went in and got it, surgically removed the bad actor, and didn’t disturb classes or anything.”

In fact, the news came as a surprise to Norton’s son.

“I called him to ask about it, and he goes, ‘What are you talking about?’ I say, ‘Y’all had a student with a loaded weapon at school today. You didn’t know about it?’ He says, ‘No.’”

Norton says that’s evidence that the school officials know what they’re doing and are keeping everyone safe.

The principal’s letter does not reveal any detail about the student, the type of gun, or why they had it at school. He reminded parents that yearly, the school holds class meetings stressing to students the importance of “if you hear something, say something.”

“Today, I am thankful for our quick-thinking students and well-trained staff for their efforts in this matter,” wrote Principal Revard. “I am confident our swift action and severe consequences will act as a deterrent and send a message to anyone that may consider violating our zero-tolerance weapons policy.”

Norton does not care to know the student’s name, but believes whoever it is should face the music.

“Whatever it is that law enforcement, administration, and the judge says, that’s what needs to happen,” he says. “But it needs to be something that is severe enough that they know better than to do it again. It can’t be a slap on the wrist.”

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