Roundup, Mont. – A group of parents in Roundup have decided to unenroll their children from Roundup Elementary School after the school district delayed notifying families about a rumored weapon on campus. Katie Wilson, who plans to homeschool her children, said the delay eroded her trust in the school’s ability to keep families informed.

Delayed communication sparks concern

The district learned around 11 a.m. that a student was alleged to possess a gun. Staff immediately escorted the student to the principal’s office, where a school resource officer searched the backpack and found no weapon. The district then informed the parents of the students directly involved.

According to parents, the district did not alert the broader parent body and the public until about 8:30 p.m. that evening. Many families learned of the rumor earlier through a community Facebook page, leading to frustration over the timing of the official notice.

Parents choose homeschooling

Wilson and other parents, including Georgia Hiltz, said they will homeschool their children after pulling them from the school. “I just feel like I can’t send my kids to a school where we can’t trust the faculty to keep us informed,” Wilson said.

Hiltz added, “I know of a few other parents in town that have pulled their children as well or plan on pulling them.”

Remaining families weigh options

While some families are leaving, many parents intend to keep their children enrolled. Shawnee Bartley expressed concern about her child sharing a classroom with the student who was investigated. “I need to know when this student is coming back to school,” she said, noting she was under the impression the student faced no consequences and would return on Monday.

District response

Superintendent Josiah Mayfield said the district is guided by FERPA laws and cannot disclose certain details about the student. He defended the timing of the communication, stating the threat was not credible and the district released information when it was ready to do so.

Mayfield emphasized the district’s commitment to improving communication: “We are always actively looking to improve what we do. I would hope that people would find confidence in the small‑town nature of Roundup that we are in direct communication with a variety of people in town in order to continually update our policies and procedures and to train our people appropriately for any possible threat.”

Community reaction

Parents voiced that the district’s statement seemed prompted by public criticism on Facebook. Bartley remarked, “I don’t think we would have gotten a statement if they weren’t being publicly criticized on Facebook about it and the community wanting answers.” Hiltz added, “A threat like that should be a concern and parents’ questions should be answered.”

The incident highlights ongoing concerns among Roundup families about school safety communication and the desire for timely, transparent updates from local education officials.

Original reporting: KTVQ Q2 Billings (local) — read the source article.