Active shooter drills are happing in public schools across the nation. Just what does that entail? Police use a number of different tactics, but usually it involves the sound of gunfire and children learning how to hide and when and where to run, police in tactical gear rushing in with high-powered weapons to “neutralize” the shooter. It. Is. Terrifying. Just the sound of gunfire echoing through the hallways is terrifying. How would you feel crotched behind a desk? Even if you knew in advance this was a drill! Watch some of these videos and imagine what we are doing to our children, teaching them that this is the new normal instead of actually doing something to curb gun violence.
In some cases, they even use mock blood and have police and emergency personnel evacuate “injured” students.
Check out these images from a drill in California:
YouTube has one video after another of school districts conducting these drills throughout the country. Of course we want to keep our children safe, but are these really the best way? The only way? Are we really okay with teaching our kids this is the new normal instead of implementing a new ban on assault-style weapons, raising the minimum age to buy a gun, implementing more stringent background checks, mental health flags, etc? I hope not. Our kids deserve better.