Recent accidents highlight that chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR) agent exposure risk isn't just about terrorism. In this article, the author, a parent and public health physician, wrestles with the fact that total protection from CBRs is probably not feasible in her son's or in the majority of American schools. Capital investments, for special air filtering and pressurization, protective equipment, exhausting and purging, etc., that might reduce risk, are huge. Therefore, she urges, that to maximize protection, school districts must approach CBR planning from a community-wide perspective. However, the problem is that engaging local emergency planners--such as fire, police, and county health departments--and actually coming up with a coordinated response plan, takes a lot of time. The result is that many local schools still await district guidelines and some schools don't even have basic evacuation and shelter-in-place protocols. Without these simple plans, many children could be injured or die needlessly. Here, the author discusses the importance of conducting a (CBR) exposure readiness in schools. In general, two basic tools are used to protect children and staff. The first is school evacuation, and the second is shelter-in-place.