This discussion post is used in conjunction with EYPD Education courses. The purpose is to increase awareness on the specific topic that may coincide with courses.
School safety is now one of the elephants in the room at PTO or school orientation meetings. No one wants to talk about it. No one wants to hear the truth. School shootings can happen anywhere! How safe is your school? All across America, Local Education Agencies (LEAs), State Education Agencies (SEAs) and businesses are ramping up, training, security and policy to combat this serious issue. Specifically, what are some strategies LEAs and SEAs can use to make their schools safer? We listed a few below. Please comment with your opinions.
Strategy 1: Update school policy to include active shooter information (some examples listed)
- Include metal detectors
- Update security cameras
- Lock classroom doors
- Check vehicles on school property
- Lock school doors entrances
- Work with law enforcement on social media concerns
- Provide daily school security
Strategy 2: Provide training for all school employees on active shooter situations
- Development trainings for active shooter areas
- Implement active shooter drills
- Invite law enforcement to provide demonstrations
Strategy 3: Implement a student awareness program about active shooters
- Invite guest speakers
- Coordinate with other schools
Strategy 4: Provide extended counseling sessions for students and employees
- Provide surveys for students and employees
- Put a referral system in place
There are many active shooter training outlets from businesses or state and local governments that can be utilized. Please reach out and learn more. We provided a quick list of such trainings:
Resources:
Here’s a few more:
Have 1 master key that opens the doors, not 5-8. we have so many different class doors, the principal can never find the correct key fast enough.
WORKING Cameras, not just cameras on corners and Telling the kids that we have cameras.
Not have an Active City Street running THROUGH the school parking lot!
I agree with you completely, too many keys is not a good thing, they can easily be duplicated
I think we need to implement cameras and be more aware of who is coming on campus every day. Doors to the outside parking lots should stay locked in my opinion, unless accessed by a key fob or card. I also think metal detectors would help with weapons that are brought on campus as well.
We should take school shootings as a very serious problems. It should not be taken lightly. We need to have real drills and have conversations often about “what if”during staff meetings and trainings. What is each person role and how do we make sure everyone is safe!
I agree we should have real drills each semester and more training on what to do in case of an attack on our campus.
We run active shooter drills often at different times. Kids are reminded to be quiet at these drills and take them seriously. After the drills we go over what could be better and different situations. Each teacher is provided a LONG, Sturdy pin to place in the door to stop the door from being pushed open and can’t be reached from the door glass. Since we all have the same procedures, being in a different place or classroom isn’t an issue.
I also work within a district where all district staff have been trained and procedures are in place in preparation for an active shooter. Drills are conducted regularly including local police; however, to these drills are usually located at the high school All classroom doors remain locked in my building and are checked daily by our SRO officer. I agree with you that cameras placed throughout the school and campus would definitely increase safety. I do feel that my district has taken school safety seriously.
Security guards should be a requirement at each school, but I know in some districts this is simply not possible due to budgets and funding. This is why I believe we should always be prepared with an active plan and actually practice this plan to be prepared for any situation.
Wow! Yes, I agree. There definitely shouldn’t be a street going through the parking lot. I work carline and can’t imagine having to deal with more traffic. A master key and working cameras are a must!
School safety is a primary concern.
Schools district should on a continuous basis conduct safety drills for teachers, administrators, staff and students.
Students should be made aware of the importance and the seriousness of safety drills.
Schools should have working and updated cameras both inside and outside. I also think that a security system as well as cameras should be connected to the local police department.
I agree with you. One thing our school does well is safety. We have a ton of cameras and dedicated resource officers on campus at all times. We are even planning an active shooter drill for next week and the staff is a little on edge because our director of safety has informed us he is going to make it “as real as possible.”
I believe safety is very important, I believe we need an SRO officer for each building and not one for entire school, im places all of the schools are on one campus , and their are multiple buildings, each buolding needs its own officer and cameras that shows all angles
I agree that we need security officers at all schools and every building if districts could afford this luxury.
There are so many things to fear when thinking about school shootings. We want to talk about keeping those shooters out with locked doors. I wonder if sometimes we are locking those shooters inside the classrooms with our students.
All of the issues mentioned before are major concerns…the master keys, the locked doors, the cameras, the SRO. What can we really do to ensure the safety of everyone involved? Is giving teachers the permission to carry weapons really the solution? I am so torn on this issue, but I definitely feel that more security is needed. All schools should have metal detectors at all entrance doors.
I agree with above statements and trying to focus on school safety is a BIG issue these days. Several factors have played into these shooters getting into private and public schools. Great choices of prevention are cameras, security guards, locked doors/gates, and having a system to allow someone knowledge when anyone enters the school doors. I do feel that all the help in prevention of these events is a positive, but I know that more needs to be done. I have positive and negative feeling on allow teachers to carry a weapon.
I agree it is very important for students to feel safe at school. A lot more needs to be done for everyone in a school to feel safe. I like the idea for have to scan a badge to get into the buildings, maybe it will help keep people out that do not belong there.
I absolutely agree with what was stated. Everyone in a school should feel safe. My school recently had two shooting threats. Our school is pretty safe because we keep all doors locked, visitors have to be “buzzed” in, and there are cameras everywhere. Students have also been told countless times that they do not open the door for anyone, not even if they know the person. However, our principals have way too many keys for the door of the building, so they have proposed that we get keyless entry doors in which one would have to scan his/her ID badge in order to get in and the door would automatically lock when closed. The teachers love this idea, and the students think its “cool.”
It is very important for teacher and students to feel safe in the school environment. Our school makes sure all side doors are lock at all times. They have also recently added more cameras throughout the school. Our principal has made all teachers aware of where the emergency exit trail is located should we need to get off campus. They are also in the process of installing a machine that teachers would have to use their badge to gain access into the building. Parents and visitors would have to be buzzed in to gain access in the building.
School safety is a big component and all faculty and staff must play a role in. I am not taking away from any of the previous comments. There has not been a wrong answer or opinion yet.
at my school, which is very small still have to be on alert because big things tend to escalate in small places and we are an alternative school.
We have so many veterans that are completely qualified to come to schools and sit armed everyday. Pay these men and woman who have combat experience and know how to deal with hostile situations to be in our schools. Any person who comes into a school to protect it should have some sort of mental health check on a consistent basis and training on a consistent basis so give the job to people to are capable of handling stressful situations and help out veterans in the process.
One idea I haven’t heard might be costly, but necessary. It is to surround schools with barrier walls. Entrances should resemble similar to that of a gated community where cameras and approval in required for entrance. That way, if an attack occurs, it is known about prior to the invader actually reaching the actual school. Other options mentioned above were also wonderful.
The school I work at is going to be locked down. You will only be able to enter all doors with a security name badge. This will include all building on campus. The only thing that still frightens me is playground area.
We should take school shootings as a very serious problems. It should not be taken lightly. We need to have real drills and have conversations often about “what if”during staff meetings and trainings. What is each person role and how do we make sure everyone is safe!
I agree with the seriousness of this subject and never take it for granted. I do believe that this is not a serious matter for several and it should be. Our district has installed card swipe locks and badges issued to every staff member and student. It is a start but everyone must take it and use this resource effectively. We have to many that are overlooking students and staff that are not following procedures. Its not a big deal for them and it should be in order for this to work effectively and protect ALL.
I really like all the safety suggestions, but we have to remember we’re merely reflecting on events that are not happening in real-time. I think if the teachers were allowed to use their cell phones as a major communication tool; not only for academic purposes, but as radio that the principal could pinpoint exactly were they are as well as their students.
This is an issue that ALL need to believe can happen anywhere and anytime. All must get on board to protect our students and staffs.
Our school has installed card swipe locks on our doors and required staff and students to wear badges. However; not everyone has enforced the new procedures and I feel we are still very vulnerable because of the fact that not ALL have bought into the possibilities of this happening at our school.
I think it should be a number one priority to make sure our schools are safe. I don’t know that any system would be perfect, but everything that we can do to make schools safe should be done. Doors locked with cameras, such that the door would only be unlocked after someone from the inside views them. I’m not for teachers carrying guns but I could see security guards carrying guns. I think we need to have a better awareness of how this could happen at our schools. Most people think that no shooting could ever happen at their schools.
In my district only high schools have Resource Officers. I believe all schools should have at least one Resource Officer present to try and deter any violence that my present its self. The presence of these officers would help students and teachers feel a little more safe at their home away from home.
There are so many things that could be done to make our schools more safe. AS mentioned on the reading, metal detectors would be a great deterant against weapons being brought to school. But still , in my opinion, the presence of armed guards would be the best.
there is enough retired law enforcement and retired military that it would not be hard to do.
I agree with many of the comments above. It does make me realize how much our world has changed however. When I went to school (a small rural school) kids drove to school with their shotguns and rifles hanging on their gun racks in their truck window. It was never even perceived as a threat. We have come so very far. Nowadays, that would set off so many bells and whistles.
Anyways… our school does many things to keep our kids safe. Although not to the point of students having them, all adults wear their ID’s. All outside doors remain locked. Classroom doors are shut and locked with students in them. Every teacher has a radio and their is a lockdown plan in place. Drills are practiced, although not active shooter drills, but it has been discussed. We do not have resource officers, but it would be nice!
I truly believe the students in my school feel safe.
Let me try this again….
School safety has definitely changed over the years. When I graduated from a small rural school, our kids were still driving vehicles to school with their guns hanging in gun racks in the back glass of the vehicle. Nowadays, that would just set off so many bells and whistles.
And today in the same high school where I graduated, obviously guns don’t come to school anymore.
I do feel that kids feel safe in our school. We do keep all doors, outside and classroom doors locked. We have occasional deputies that stop by, but not a resource officer on duty.
Teachers have radios and plans in place for an intruder, but not specifically a shooter, even though it has been discussed.
So maybe 3rd times a charm – but this will be brief – don’t know why I keep loosing my data….but I have decided, maybe its not the safest thing to tell about your school and its issues with safety when it’s probably really easy for a hacker/troller to find this site and see where it might be best to have a shooter show up.
Our kids feel safe. I’ll leave it at that.
This is definitely a huge concern for schools across the nation right now. As a teacher, I know I have thought many times about what I would do if this happened to me. Currently, our school district just installed a new badge system in all the elementary schools. To enter any outer door, a teacher has to swipe their badge for the door to unlock. I am pleased with this change even though it has taken some getting used to for our students and teachers alike. If we could afford such it would be great to have a security guard at each school as well. We also have a plan in place that we have drills for in the event that something like this does happen. Because this is such an unpredictable situation, I am not sure there is any perfect answer. However, the things mentioned in the article and the comments are surely great ways to plan and prepare for such a moment.
Each strategy listed in the article contains things I think all schools should implement. There is no such thing as doing too much to keep our children safe at school. In my honest opinion, this is the first year that my district has made any real advancements in the area of school safety. A few years ago employees got name badges and all visitors were asked to go sign in in the office before visiting the halls or classrooms. The problem was that just because they were asked to do this, there was no guarantee they would or did. This drove me crazy. There has never been a security guard on our campus and all outside doors were unlocked all day long and anyone could just walk right in. Finally, this year all doors are locked. We were each given a key that will open all doors, inside and out. (My school has at least a dozen outside doors for grades k-6). We are also in the process of getting a fence built around the school. These changes will definitely make me feel a lot safer than I did in years past.
We have a police officer at our school. He has implemented a shutdown system which has been practiced. We have had some escaped convicts close before and have used the system.
I agree with keeping students safe. I think that our number one goal should be to keep them safe and secure. It is a huge concern in our country today. My schools has taking detailed security measures to ensure that our students feel safe. Students should be made to feel safe because they can learn better if they aren’t scared of what could happen. I think schools should take time to listen to their students and the student’s concerns about safety.
As a current teacher, I practice with my students exactly what we would do if a school shooter ever attacked our campus. I use the first week of school and spend 10-15 minutes with all of my classes discussing some basic safety techniques such as:
1. Escaping the area if possible and evacuating to a pre-approved location.
2. Barricading our door, and our students lay down in the furthest corner of the classroom to avoid possible injury.
3. We always dim the lights, and keep quiet so any threat will think our room is empty.
4. We arm ourselves with defensive/offensive materials such as textbooks, scissors, pens, and thinks of this nature in case our barricade fails.
I think this is necessary for all teachers to do, probably at all ages too. It will give our kids a heads up on what to do if a situation actually happens. Thanks! Feel free to comment any suggestions you may have for me and my classes.
I strongly believe that stricter gun control legislation, on-campus psychological counseling for students, and on-site resource officers will be the answer. Until we place our children’s safety and well-being above personal and political agendas, those of us who work in education will live with this possibility on a daily basis.
We have active shooter training every year with drills throughout the year. I believe constant awareness and practice can be a preventative tool. I like to consistently remind my students of the procedures. I do like the idea of limiting keys for access.
I agree that more needs to be done to help protect our teachers and students in the event of an active shooter. This is a frightening thing to even have to consider, but we can not just hope that it will not happen. I am under the assumption that it is not “if” it will happen again, but “when” it will happen. One person mentioned that we could utilize our veterans who are able and already trained in combat situations as SRO’s in our schools, but I already know that answer: “We do not have the funds”. I think our federal, state and local gov’ts need to come together and find those funds for the safety of our children.
I also, like the idea of staff having cards that are scanned for entrance to the school. We have too many people that just walk in our school thinking that because they have a child there they can just walk to their child’s classroom without checking in . They are of the mindset that they aren’t doing any harm so it should be okay for them. If a scan card is used to allow entrance, this would stop unnecessary traffic in our buildings.
One of the main things that needs to happen, is that everyone gets on board and understands that every time you prop open a door so you can come back in, you are putting everyone in danger. Yes, it is an inconvenience to have to unlock a door that your keys can get stuck in because the doors are so old, but to me it is worth a little inconvenience to protect our staff and students.
This is such a tough topic for me personally. It is so scary to think about the possibility of an active shooter near my classroom and/or students. I am grateful because I work at a school with automatic locks and other security measures put in place to protect faculty, staff, and students. However, I know that active shooter training is necessary because you can never know what the future holds.
It is so important for students, faculty, and staff to be well trained on the lock-down procedures. I am blessed to be in a district where every school has a resource officer and our county sheriff’s office work along with us throughout the year on drills or situations that may arise. This is something I feel that we start the year off strong but get comfortable as the year goes on. The school I work in does keep outside doors and classroom doors locked at all times. The gates around the school are locked as well.