My school had a "lock down" drill today

[jes06c]

For the last four years I've worked as Medicaid coordinator for a school district in Arizona. Even though I'm an employee of the district office, my office is located at one of the K - 6 schools because our district office building isn't large enough to hold all of its staff. Four times a year, the school must hold a "lock down" drill. The principal gets on the intercom, announces to the students that the school is on lock down. All of the students must huddle down under their desks while the teacher locks the door and turns off the lights. The principal goes from room to room, banging on the door, and the kids have to remain silent and the teacher must keep the door locked and the kids under the desk until the principal gets back on the intercom and announces that the lock down is over. It's a small school, so it takes him about 20 minutes to check on all the classrooms. This is supposed to prepare the students in case of a school shooting.

First of all, we never had these when I was in school. We had fire drills. When I lived in Louisiana we had hurricane drills. When I lived in Salt Lake City we had earthquake drills, but never a lock down drill, even though the Columbine shooting happened when I was in 10th grade.

It just makes me think how messed up this country is. We're now routinely preparing children, as young as five years old, in the event of a school shooting. It makes me wonder if children in Japan have to do this. Or Germany. Or Canada. Or anywhere else.

[BigmanPigman]

1. When I began teaching K-6

we had all kinds of drills, including lock down and earthquake (CA) and this was in the 90s. The drills were also for lock down and the principals I have had weren't even aware that the classroom doors only can be locked from the outside. We had only fire drills while I grew up so this was all new to me too.

[Ohiogal]

2. I am old enough

to remember having "civil defense drills" when I was in 1st grade. We had to get down under our desks and put our hands over our heads. I doubt any of us understood exactly what we were defending ourselves against. I guess some things never change.