School administrators confiscate hundreds of guns, knives and other harmful or real-looking weapons from students every year. And it's happening, even though most schools in the state have adopted tough policies to keep weapons out of class. How safe is your child? News Specialist Nadine Wimmer joins us now with her series: Learning in Fear. Why are students carrying weapons?

Many students feel a real threat to their safety in school and see weapons as their only protection. We went On Assignment to find out how many students are Learning in Fear and what educators are doing about it.

(("SHOW HANDS GO UP", "HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER FEARED FOR YOUR SAFETY AT SCHOOL?"))

(("HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT BRINGING A WEAPON TO PROTECT YOURSELVES?"))

Sound different from when you were 14? Many students now say it's a reality. high school hall shots Name calling and fists are the least of their worries when it comes to school fights.

(("THERE ARE SOME KIDS THAT ARE SCARED TO COME TO SCHOOL."))

(("THEY CALL ME CHICKEN BECAUSE I WON'T FIGHT BACK."))

(("I BRANG AN EXACTO KNIFE. I WASN'T THAT SCARED... BUT IN A WAY I WAS."))

Every item in this drawer represents a student suspended for weapons violations in one district this year alone. Knives are the most common weapon found on students. There may be deadly weapons like these in your child's school. And many real-looking fakes. One student even used this to pierce another's belly button. Still, the threat of suspension was not enough to deter students from bringing these to school.

((NORMA VILLAR BAKER, JORDAN DISTRICT: "SOME STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN EXPELLED IN THEIR APPEAL HEARINGS HAVE OPENLY SAID, THE ONLY REASON I TOOK THIS IS FOR PROTECTION, SO THAT IF SOMEBODY JUMPS ME ON THE WAY HOME, THEN I'LL HAVE PROTECTION."))

Educators have learned, in order to make schools safe, they need to address the root problem...how to deal with angry, violent students. Because as long as youngsters are learning in fear, self-defense is the first priority.

((Q: "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING WHEN YOU WEIGHED BRINGING THIS TO SCHOOL? TO PROTECT MYSELF, NOTHING ELSE. I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT GETTING IN TROUBLE."))

Schools are taking several measures to go along with their weapons policies. Students as young as elementary school are being referred to anger control courses with their parents. Teachers are getting more training in conflict management. And schools are offering character education as part of the curriculum, like math and reading.