Children should not have to think like this

[DVCJones]

It is definitely heartbreaking! It's a different world from what I grew up in. My youngest has lockdown drills now. A code is given over the intercom and each room has a particular place or wall in which the students are to sit--silently. I was in the school during one and it was unnerving. I had to sit where the kids sat, the leaders turned off the lights, windows were covered, door was locked. Then the principal walked the halls checked doors to verify they were locked--THAT in itself was scary! You're sitting in the dark and then that door is rattled!! Then, like a fire drill, the all clear is given and the kids go back to what they were doing. As much as it saddened me, the children weren't bothered by it at all--it's part of their normal routine now.

I wish you luck next week! It's a big step for both of you!

That 'lockdown' procedure is all well and good IF the threat is outside the building. However, that would be the wrong thing to do if the threat was IN the building.

There is a new school of thought (no pun intended) that the safest thing to do in the event of an active shooter is to first, GET OUT if you can. Hide/barricade if you can't get out and Lastly, fight back as a last resort. In short... Don't be a sitting duck and wait your turn to be shot.

Most of these tragic events are over in minutes. Usually when the police arrive the bad guy takes himself out. Teachers need to be trained in evacuation, and what to do if you can't. Things like creating time between you and the bad guy... By slowing the bad guy down, you lower the casualties. The sad truth though it that they are there to do damage. And they will. Teachers and administration need to know how to cut down the casualties. Even if it means... <gasp> taking the bad guy out!!!!

Oddly enough, at this moment, they are talking about this very thing on TV.....

 

[torinsmom]

We've had lockdown drills for at least 5 years. It's just something routine to practice in case there is an emergency situation. In my room, we go in the classroom bathroom. I have a lockdown bag I made that has a tap light, a list of the kids, and marshmallows. The marshmallows are in case it is a real lockdown. It would give us something fun to eat while we sit there. My assistant is to take the kids in the bathroom and I close the blinds and make sure the door is closed(it is always locked), plus put out a signal that all is well in the classroom.

We tell our kids that the school is safe. All doors are locked and the teachers know what to do in the case of an emergency. It seems to be enough for them. Now, it isn't enough for ME. Our doors are wooden with glass windows. All it would take is one gunshot to get a gunman in the classroom. I don't know what I would do in a real shooting situation. I could get the kids to the cafeteria across our courtyard in less than a minute. The cafeteria has steel doors with really high windows. The problem is---only the custodian has a key to LOCK the cafeteria doors. I have been trying to get that problem corrected, but the district is not cooperating. It stays on my mind A LOT.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Yeah, I don't really see how lockdown drills are any more traumatizing than fire drills, or the bane of my childhood schooling, tornado drills. God, I hate tornados.

I don't believe our kids are any less safe these days then they used to be. When my DD goes to school I will be considerably more afraid of tornados (still!) than random shooters (and I don't even live in tornado alley!). I also believe our kids become worried about things that we are worried about via osmosis. Hopefully, if I'm not worried about needing lockdown procedures, neither will she.


Somewhat funny story, the OP mentioned that her DS was worried about typical things like how he would find his teacher and such. I was one of those kids who couldn't care less about such things. On my first day of kindergarten my mom set me on the bus and waved goodbye. My then best friend got driven to school for her first day and I ran into her and her mom when I got there. I followed them in. It never occurred to my 5 year old mind that there would be more than one class or that, heaven forbid, I would be placed in a different class than my best friend. I was playing happily in her classroom for a good 30 minutes while the teachers frantically tried to locate where the missing girl from the other class was. They found me. I was disappointed. Her classroom had a small jungle gym inside it. Mine didn't.

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

That 'lockdown' procedure is all well and good IF the threat is outside the building. However, that would be the wrong thing to do if the threat was IN the building.

There is a new school of thought (no pun intended) that the safest thing to do in the event of an active shooter is to first, GET OUT if you can. Hide/barricade if you can't get out and Lastly, fight back as a last resort. In short... Don't be a sitting duck and wait your turn to be shot.

Most of these tragic events are over in minutes. Usually when the police arrive the bad guy takes himself out. Teachers need to be trained in evacuation, and what to do if you can't. Things like creating time between you and the bad guy... By slowing the bad guy down, you lower the casualties. The sad truth though it that they are there to do damage. And they will. Teachers and administration need to know how to cut down the casualties. Even if it means... <gasp> taking the bad guy out!!!!

Oddly enough, at this moment, they are talking about this very thing on TV.....

This is what the kids at my sons school (k-5) are being taught and I admit that while it unnerves me to think about, I think it's the right approach.

1. Get out (most of hte classrooms have emergency exits)
2. If they can't get out, then lock the door, turn off the lights, and sit quietly by the wall.
3. If the shooter (or whoever) gets in the room anyway, then they are to pick up whatever they can find and throw it at the persons head.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Teachers and administration need to know how to cut down the casualties. Even if it means... <gasp> taking the bad guy out!!!!

All of the administrators in our district received firearms training over the Summer. It's somewhat odd though as they have not been given approval to carry weapons, not does it appear they will be ever. So, I'm really not sure what the training was all about (and from the sounds of it, they are all equally confused).

 

[wiigirl]

All of the administrators in our district received firearms training over the Summer. It's somewhat odd though as they have not been given approval to carry weapons, not does it appear they will be ever. So, I'm really not sure what the training was all about (and from the sounds of it, they are all equally confused).

Yikes.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I remember when my youngest niece started Kindergarten. 9/11 was on Tuesday and she started school that Thursday. I remember her asking her Mom if she would be able to come and get her "if another airplane came." As I recall, my sister had to pick her up early that day because she was so afraid.

I feel her terror was sort of my fault. We had the TV on watching the coverage of the attack nonstop (I was babysitting her while my sister worked), and she was sitting there, but playing with her toys. We thought that it was all going over her head because she seemed to not be paying the slightest bit of attention to the TV. I was so angry later that she was terrorized and so sad for my part in facilitating it.

 

[torinsmom]

I would never be comfortable with a gun in the classroom, but I would like a taser, locked up where the kids could not reach it of course.

 

[DVCJones]

I would never be comfortable with a gun in the classroom, but I would like a taser, locked up where the kids could not reach it of course.

Teachers do not need a gun to keep children safer. Proper training and tools like bullet proof doors/ locks and exits would do a lot. Also training to use what is already in the classroom to protect yourself. Imagine what 20+ chairs, books, desks etc. flying in the direction of a shooter could do. You may get lucky and knock the gun out of their hand. Even better maybe knock them out or at the very least get some kids out of the room. It is all about creating opportunity and time to cut down casualties.

 

[SLP958]

We've had lockdown drills for at least 5 years. It's just something routine to practice in case there is an emergency situation. In my room, we go in the classroom bathroom. I have a lockdown bag I made that has a tap light, a list of the kids, and marshmallows. The marshmallows are in case it is a real lockdown. It would give us something fun to eat while we sit there. My assistant is to take the kids in the bathroom and I close the blinds and make sure the door is closed(it is always locked), plus put out a signal that all is well in the classroom.

A friend whose child goes to the same school DS will be staring described their lockdown drills to me. I sounds like they have a coordinated plan.


We tell our kids that the school is safe. All doors are locked and the teachers know what to do in the case of an emergency. It seems to be enough for them. Now, it isn't enough for ME. Our doors are wooden with glass windows. All it would take is one gunshot to get a gunman in the classroom. I don't know what I would do in a real shooting situation. I could get the kids to the cafeteria across our courtyard in less than a minute. The cafeteria has steel doors with really high windows. The problem is---only the custodian has a key to LOCK the cafeteria doors. I have been trying to get that problem corrected, but the district is not cooperating. It stays on my mind A LOT.

I would imagine a lot of teachers feel this way. I really don't think there are enough precautions in the world that can stop bad people from doing bad things.

I will be doing a lot of praying.

 

[mjkacmom]

My kids have these drills, plus a few "real" lockdowns. It doesn't bother them in the least - just like fire drills. Back in the day, kids had to go under their desks for the bomb threat drills (and all of our schools still have bomb shelters).

Considering the dangerous conditions in other countries, our kids have it made.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Teachers do not need a gun to keep children safer. Proper training and tools like bullet proof doors/ locks and exits would do a lot. Also training to use what is already in the classroom to protect yourself. Imagine what 20+ chairs, books, desks etc. flying in the direction of a shooter could do. You may get lucky and knock the gun out of their hand. Even better maybe knock them out or at the very least get some kids out of the room. It is all about creating opportunity and time to cut down casualties.

There are definitely any number of non-lethal options for fighting back. I would never want my child (or their teacher) to sit back and accept their fate, so to speak.

Get away if you can; fight back if you cannot.

 

[garada3]

That 'lockdown' procedure is all well and good IF the threat is outside the building. However, that would be the wrong thing to do if the threat was IN the building.

There is a new school of thought (no pun intended) that the safest thing to do in the event of an active shooter is to first, GET OUT if you can. Hide/barricade if you can't get out and Lastly, fight back as a last resort. In short... Don't be a sitting duck and wait your turn to be shot.

Most of these tragic events are over in minutes. Usually when the police arrive the bad guy takes himself out. Teachers need to be trained in evacuation, and what to do if you can't. Things like creating time between you and the bad guy... By slowing the bad guy down, you lower the casualties. The sad truth though it that they are there to do damage. And they will. Teachers and administration need to know how to cut down the casualties. Even if it means... <gasp> taking the bad guy out!!!!

Oddly enough, at this moment, they are talking about this very thing on TV.....

A middle school teacher friend of mine showed me a form that she was given at a staff meeting on the first day of teacher work week ( week prior to students first day). Our schools have had lock down drills for years but this form was disturbing.

The form, called the Classroom Active Intruder Plan, requires her to list students, by name, that can assist during lock down drills by doing the following tasks: helping others stay calm, barricading the door and attacking the intruder.

I am angered as a parent and as a teacher.

Placing the expectation upon a child that it is their job to attack an intruder? Really? Gotta wonder how this is going to be introduced in the classroom, "Who wants to hand out papers? Who wants to attack a person with a gun? ".

Asking a teacher to designate which students will be the attacking force is so wrong. In addition to all the other expectations placed on teachers, these professionals are being instructed to decide which students to put directly in harm's way.

I have already called the superintendent's office to register my objections.

 

[arminnie]

Are any of you old enough to have done an air raid drill in school in the 60's?

Older - In the early 50s we had to go out in the hall and crouch against the wall in case a nuclear bomb hit.

This was only about 6-7 years after the Japanese bombings that we all saw pictures of over and over again.

 

[EMAW_KSU]

Yikes.

Why is training yikes?

 

[Gumbo4x4]

A middle school teacher friend of mine showed me a form that she was given at a staff meeting on the first day of teacher work week ( week prior to students first day). Our schools have had lock down drills for years but this form was disturbing.

The form, called the Classroom Active Intruder Plan, requires her to list students, by name, that can assist during lock down drills by doing the following tasks: helping others stay calm, barricading the door and attacking the intruder.

I am angered as a parent and as a teacher.

Placing the expectation upon a child that it is their job to attack an intruder? Really? Gotta wonder how this is going to be introduced in the classroom, "Who wants to hand out papers? Who wants to attack a person with a gun? ".

Asking a teacher to designate which students will be the attacking force is so wrong. In addition to all the other expectations placed on teachers, these professionals are being instructed to decide which students to put directly in harm's way.

I have already called the superintendent's office to register my objections.

Okay, fair enough. But, do you have a better plan you can submit?

 

[ironpig70]

Teachers do not need a gun to keep children safer. Proper training and tools like bullet proof doors/ locks and exits would do a lot. Also training to use what is already in the classroom to protect yourself. Imagine what 20+ chairs, books, desks etc. flying in the direction of a shooter could do. You may get lucky and knock the gun out of their hand. Even better maybe knock them out or at the very least get some kids out of the room. It is all about creating opportunity and time to cut down casualties.

At what cost?

Do you know what a bullet proof door/window cost?

And what good do they do when the shooter is in the room?

Newtown was the exception and not the rule. The majority of school shootings are small in causalities and the shooter is a STUDENT.

 

[kamik86]

A middle school teacher friend of mine showed me a form that she was given at a staff meeting on the first day of teacher work week ( week prior to students first day). Our schools have had lock down drills for years but this form was disturbing.

The form, called the Classroom Active Intruder Plan, requires her to list students, by name, that can assist during lock down drills by doing the following tasks: helping others stay calm, barricading the door and attacking the intruder.

I am angered as a parent and as a teacher.

Placing the expectation upon a child that it is their job to attack an intruder? Really? Gotta wonder how this is going to be introduced in the classroom, "Who wants to hand out papers? Who wants to attack a person with a gun? ".

Asking a teacher to designate which students will be the attacking force is so wrong. In addition to all the other expectations placed on teachers, these professionals are being instructed to decide which students to put directly in harm's way.

I have already called the superintendent's office to register my objections.

I agree this is bad... however teachers should think of some of these types of things... Like which students might be able to stay calm and which ones are strong enough to move things to barricade a door quickly. Also what you have in the room that would work well for attacks or for protection.

Example a question on what would happen was asked in one high school class I had. This was a chem class. Teachers response is the first thing she is doing is turning the gas off to the lab stations (so they dont' get shot and blow us all up) Then we would all get to the back with the chemical cabinent to hand out fun things to throw at intruders if they came in. It was behind a lab table so nicly protected if you stayed down, clear shot of the door if you stood and had a few nice acids and stuff in there...

Didn't surpise me that she one of a few teachers with a good response... she taught at a school once where a student pulled a gun in the middle of her class. This wasn't new for her. (Although in that case she just talked him down and got the gun as it was a student with issues and not a random guy that was already shooting)

 

[disykat]

Sad, but another vote for this not being a new problem. I vividly remember a lock down at school when I was in fourth grade (1969?) An escaped convict ran across our playground while we were at recess. I spoke to him. Police cars were suddenly surrounding the playground. The teachers got us indoors as quickly as possible. I think having a plan in place would give the kids a little bit of a feeling of control, knowing what to do.

 

[JeRmS]

Media Sensationalizing needs to stop first and formost .... these type of stories are only going to get worse if we keep putting these sick people on the cover of the rolling stone!!