Educator: We Must Protect Our Students from School Violence
Imagine 27 ten-year-olds huddled together in a corner on the floor of
their classroom in almost complete darkness. Everyone’s ears are
working overtime straining to hear any hint of an intruder presence on
the other side of the door. Movement is restricted to darting eyes
attempting to discern from formless darkness any sudden motion, a
pathway of potential violence, the echo of a possible retreat.
This is what students experience during lockdown drills in my sixth
grade classroom. The first lockdown drill of each year is announced in
advance, we talk about what actions to take for safety. Students crowd
into the corner of the classroom least likely to put them in the direct
line of gunfire, assuming we manage to get the door locked in time, and
the door actually holds. Getting 27 ten-year-olds to sit in such close
of proximity to each other and be totally silent requires being
explicit about behavior expectations, and equally clear that not
meeting expectations could cost lives. Learners quickly understand
that the best defense that they have against someone who wishes to do
them harm is to be as invisible as possible.
Unlike fire or earthquake drills where the absence of fire, smoke, and
quaking makes it obvious they are practicing a drill, lockdown drills
leave participants uncertain. A perpetrator could be holding hostages
and threatening violence so there would not be gunfire yet. Perhaps the
attacker is walking through the building choosing the classroom they
wish to commence shooting upon, again, no gunfire yet. These
possibilities churn student and staff thoughts as we rally our
energies in unison to achieve virtual invisibility. Lights go out,
blinds come down, and stillness surrenders to wait in silent darkness.
Administrator release is a new rule; just in case a perpetrator is
holding the office staff hostage and compels someone announce an all
clear signal under duress. It takes an administrator a long time to
reach every classroom. One might think that waiting for an extendedEducator: We Must Protect Our Students from School Violence - NEA Today: