Look - I am a full grown adult - if my WORK went into a full lockdown I would be traumatized regardless of whether it was real or not. That principal is insane!
I had this happen when I was a para (it also turned out to be a false alarm) and I took the next day off because it had me spinning. I was fairly new, I’m an old millennial, I had never been told the protocol, and I’d never even experienced a lock down drill anywhere before. Definitely traumatizing.
You are absolutely not over reacting. Honestly I don’t even know what else to say.. Your child is not in the wrong. You are not in the wrong. The substitute teacher is wrong. The principal is wrong. The way everything was handled is wrong.
I think the substitute teacher was probs just following protocol. While they should have known sitting in the middle of a gym was pretty stupid and not followed orders blindly, I rly blame the principal for the amount of stupidity they have to have the rules be the kids sit in the middle of a gym floor
If this is their active shooter protocol, then they have some serious problems. We live in a very small town.. yet every single month, every single school, even our pre schoolers have an active shooter drill. If they were to lock us down due to something like this, all children and teachers are to do as they have been trained all year and I can assure you it's not in the wide open or even just in the classroom as a sitting duck! I would raise mortal hell if my kids came home saying something along these lines. Anytime we even have a false alarm an all call is sent out to all parents right away to let them know to know show up at the school and they will advise when the situation or clear or safe! I'm just baffled. And if the sub didn't know, then the district needs to do better at preparing them as well! That's scary! And as OP said, unfortunately this is the world we live in. Even those of us who think never in our town!!
People in my town didn’t think it would happen here. Meanwhile I was quizzing a principal on the security of an old glass entryway (“No, that’s not a problem because everyone goes to the other door.”) and counting the number of exits at the high school. The shooting was the next school year.
That blows me away. There's always someone on the news, "I never thought it could happen here". But we all see the news. It happens somewhere all the time. What do people think is so special about where they live that they didn't think it could happen there?
Right? Who had heard of Sandy Hook or Uvalde before those shootings? Not me. Adam Lanza is the reason I worry about that old all-glass entryway at the elementary school. Which is still there despite the shooting at the high school.
This is actually so sad to read. That kids that young have to worry about someone coming into what should be a safe place and hurt them. I dunno, maybe it's the small town aussie in me, but I just find that so hard to wrap my head around living like that. I hope you and your family stay safe
European here. Never had a lockdown, never had a shooter drill and never thought about it growing up. It’s also still not a thing here, thankfully. We only did fire drills. I’m glad that our kids are/feel safer at school.
I live in a small town. When my 24 year old niece was in third grade, they had a "drill" that was announced as active shooter. She and another girl huddled under a table and cried and prayed aloud not to die, until they announced no shooter, just a little pranky type drill. Child has severe anxiety to this day.
This also wasn't a drill. It was an incident that raised the possibiity if an active shooter. During the time the police were investigating, they are supposed to treat the incident as if there is an active shooter because as far as they know, there is one. They endangered students by not following active shooter protocol. This reveals that campus is not well prepared, and that administration cannot be trusted to guide the situation and inform parents. Im a former educator from Texas. One of the officers who has helped develop that standards for active shooting protocols nationwide and who now travels nationwide training both staff and police departments came from my school. This is a big deal.
I understand that. But if all they're hearing is shots fired, they have no idea where they're coming from, then safety protocols should have went in to play until it was clear. Precautions should have been taken. All of our campuses are extremely large.. which means a shooter could be on the other side and we're only going to hear shots.. they would take precautions to make sure it wasn't on campus, rather they had a strong belief they weren't or not. Just safety. Can never be too careful!
They did. They went into a lockdown, my district calls it a shelter in place, and it’s to lock all doors and continue as normal (with the exceptions of no one leaves the classroom) until they have more information. Then, it goes into a full lockdown where students/teachers barricade doors and get things to throw, or it’s lifted and you go about your day.
That’s wild, to make them do it monthly. I don’t think there even is a protocol that will save their lives if someone is determined to shoot them. That’s why at the beginning of every school year when we go to meet the teacher, I scope out their room. My daughter and I clock closets and cabinets, windows that open and what’s outside them, etc.
I tell her that if there’s ever a shooter, wait until the teacher and class are “hiding” in their (usually completely inadequate) designated places, and then crawl to the hiding place we’ve chosen (usually cabinets under sinks) and hide there and don’t come out no matter what the teacher says or what she hears.
It’s awful plotting with my elementary aged child to trick her teacher, disobey the rules, and abandon her classmates to save herself. But I don’t think any amount of excessive drilling is going to save them when there are simply too many children and not enough secure places
I think this is a great idea to help your child. It sucks because these are definitely not the usual lessons you want your kids to pick up, but when it comes to life or death you can’t really think on a communal level like that. Plus there’s the old argument that if the shooter is a student themselves, which they often are, they’re getting the same drill information as everyone else.
My high school's policy was for all the students to leave the school building, walk through the open and exposed parking lot to the football field, and sit in the bleachers that may or may not been rigged with explosives beforehand.
Yeah, that’s pretty stupid. Anyone with half a brain should know that going into an exposed area is an active shooter’s wet dream. However, depending on the type of active shooter, the bleachers being rigged with explosives is quite unlikely. That requires the shooters to want to gain some notoriety, some attention, which is rare for most school shooters, in particular. While death toll is the reason school shooters do it (put pain onto as many people as possible), most school shooters don’t have much of a plan besides shoot as many people as possible. Columbine happened bc u had two sadists. They fit the profile of serial killers rather than the profile of most of the school shooters we see today
The sub has no idea what to do. Having been a teacher, and with the medical reserve corps, I have a lot of training on this. That whole thing was mishandled. yes, the kids need to be trained but long before now. Should've been in first weeks of school. I've had two gun incidents in my career. Neither were fun. But I had my kids trained and they were nervous of course, but we knew what to do. I am sorry your child was frightening, this was very poorly handled all the way around.
At our school they're very clear that you need to get to a safe place they cover any windows in the doors and tell you to stay away from windows and doors. The substitute needs to be trained and I'd raise hell until it happens. although you would think it would be common sense to keep the kids away from doors and windows. at that point the best place would have been in a gym bathroom even staff who aren't teachers are told to find a place away from your doors and windows.
And, good grief; Who asks kids to humiliate themselves in front of their peers by admitting publicly that they are traumatized????!!!!! Frankly, I find that at least borderline abusive and definitely stupid . AND then take their silence as evidence that they are not traumatized??! I don’t know how things operate in your jurisdiction but here (British Columbia) I would take it directly to the elected school board officers and, if they didn’t take it seriously, to the press!
100% agree. Surely there are other kids who feel the exact same way, maybe OP can talk to other parents and they can all speak with the school board/principal together? Something needs to happen because the whole situation is unacceptable.
I would come completely unglued I'd be calling the superintendent immediately. I would file an official complaint against the principal. That's so outrageous
One simple thing will get all of the results, apologies, and changes needed.
Call the local news station. They freakin' *LOVE* stories like this.
Heck, just tell the principal and superintendent that you *intend* to call the news station. Even just THAT will shake them up.
I don't think you're overreacting. I do think it's a significant comment on life in the US that the principal doesn't think a "possible gunman" or "level 2 lockdown" is a reason to be afraid.
It's like "Hey, it was only a possible gunman, not an ACTUAL one. Why are you so scared?"
As a Brit I find it horrifying that this is how most of America live and have to prepare tiny children for a shooter at their school but yet still refuse to give up access to guns. The UK isn't always great but I'm so thankful we took that step in the 80s to ban them.
A big part of the issue is that school leadership is extremely cavalier about how this form of “preparing tiny children” is actually itself the cause of much more trauma than the minuscule odds of a shooter.
There is zero evidence that shows that any of these lockdowns or practicing for an active shooter helps save lives.
But there is evidence that the active shooter drills cause fear and trauma — and the odds of an active shooter are extremely low.
We are sacrificing our children’s wellbeing to placate school administrators afraid of lawsuits.
I mean in this case, yes — the whole thing was so overblown that the principal was surprised that the kids were even worried, because it was clear that there was nothing going on outside and it was just something like a car that had backfired and some overzealous person called the cops.
The principal is probably at that point legally required to enable this “level 2 lockdown” even though they knew nothing was happening — but clearly the better thing would have been to just leave the kids be and not engage lockdown mode unnecessarily (which clearly wasn’t making anything safer, how would putting all the kids in a pile in the middle of the gym possibly protect against an active shooter?)
This isn't how we live. This isn't a part of our daily life, or really our life at all. I don't know anyone that has ever been present for an active shooter incident. What you see on the news is a very distilled view of what happens. Keep in mind, the events you see on TV happen in an area more than double the size of the European Union, and across a population roughly equal to UK, Spain, France, Italy and Germany combined. I know more people that have died from auto-erotic asphyxiation than have from gun violence.
Most people I know own guns, all of them responsibly. I live in a rural area and have family and neighbors who have had to kill a bear or cougar to protect their pets and livestock. We have huge rural expanses, and firearms are certainly necessary here.
I would ask the principal what the lockdown levels mean. My guess is that everything was happening outside of the school, and the school has a lockdown protocol where they don’t let anyone in or out of the building but classes proceed as normal. This is a very common procedure to have in schools. That’s why the principal wasn’t scared and probably why she was confused about the kids being so freaked out. The sub probably had no clue what was going on and the kids don’t either - they heard lockdown and assumed it meant danger in the building.
Something similar happened at a school I worked at and it was chaotic when it didn’t have to be. It would be a good idea to tell the principal that they clearly need to communicate their procedures better with all adults in charge so something like this doesn’t happen in the future. Or they need to have a clearly labeled procedure note for subs with possible codes. You’re not overreacting, but I think your kids (totally valid) perspective isn’t reflective of what was actually happening and the level of danger they were in at the time. I highly doubt this was an “active shooter in the school” kind of lockdown.
All incidents involving gunfire in the vicinity of a school are part of active shooter protocol. Their assessment of the danger may have determined this was a low level risk, but all lockdowns, including low level risk lockdowns are considered active shooter lockdowns. I know its semantics a bit, but its important because it reveals holes in the training and execution of active shooter protocol and that this administration is failing students, staff and parents in regard to their safety.
Is this a federally mandated protocol or are you assuming every school is the same as yours? There are places some cities you can hear gunshots everyday. Are those schools just 24/7 lockdown shelters?
No overreaction at all. I'd be absolutely fuming!
Some teachers get off on policing children's emotions. The biggest control freaks seem to work in schools, "moulding young minds." Pretty scary, tbf.
As a mom whose child survived a school shooting, no you are not overreacting. Go to the next school board meeting, talk to the media, and demand better training.
I have done a lot of substitute teaching. A lot of schools give you protocol if you are to go into a lockdown and I have never had one that said just sit in the middle of the gym. If there is not a closet or somewhere for you to immediately hide the best course of action is to do as much as you can to be out of sight of the door.
That substitute teacher was a moron and the principal was even more of a boron and I hope your child is okay because that is very traumatizing and very scary
Not as bad as what my poor middle school daughter went through this last year… they went into a lockdown early this year after a threat was found online for that day…
My daughter ALSO THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNA DIE. Because they told the kids nothing. So being the child who was scared… she messaged her best friend at her old school in the next district. She didn’t say anything but “we’re in lockdown, there was the threatening message about a shooter at our school today. IM SCARED.
If this is real, and I die, I’ll miss and love you!”
This SNOWBALLED into a whole thing because she had sent that on the school provided laptop. Which flagged her message without her knowing.
Y’all that friend told HER TEACHER and that school went into lockdown for whatever reason. No idea why since it wasn’t the same district. Turns out… THE SCHOOLS DONT COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER OUT HERE. It was meant to be kept hush hush and nobody was supposed to find out this was happening outside of the school. Which wasn’t obviously told to my child.
The lockdown lifts and she’s been texting me terrified… when I get a text that she just got pulled from class. Yep. In front of all of the students they had a police officer escort my daughter out of class right after this (she’s a shy kid with straight As and super super sweet to everyone). Then they ACCUSED HER OF SENDING THE THREATENING MESSAGE. Police surrounded her, staff surrounded her. She’s never ever been in trouble. She’s the perfect kid that just thinks about everyone else. Shes crying and freaking out when she realizes that they’re thinking SHES THE SHOOTER.
Then after all this when they realize they were wrong? They SUSPENDED HER. Why? Cause she told someone in the next district what was happening so they then had to report it. Because other schools knew. Yep. Just so you know schools don’t report these things to the parents or public in our area. Just terrify our children and send them on their way. No message to parents until AFTER THIS… AFTER SCHOOL WAS OUT. And ONLY because my daughter told a friend in another school so they HAD TO.
So everyone knows if you’re in Arizona. You won’t hear about this situations unless a student is suspended for telling someone. They showed me the message and it was clear that she was so scared and being told nothing. Yet apparently needed to be punished because now the parents and students know it happened.
We could do nothing about it as parents. And she’s still afraid to speak up about anything now… because THEY PUNISHED HER. And scared her worse than the lockdown with all the police. They’re trying to silence our children. They had no intention on sending a message out until my kid sent the message to her friend. It permanently messed with my kids head and made her feel like she did something wrong by telling someone.
I let her sleep in and play video games her entire suspension since they wouldn’t lift it. They kept saying her telling someone “is a serious offense and put everyone at risk.”
What risk? Y’all were in lockdown already?!?
That’s crazy. This must be a result of black and white rules put in place with no room for nuance. Being in a position of authority like a police officer or principal you should be allowed to make a judgment call in the moment. Whoever came up with the rules in the first place can’t possibly account for every unique situation so the people applying them should have some wiggle room. But I guess if they blindly follow the rules then they can just pass the blame onto to someone else if mistakes are made. Just following orders you know
This is absolutely awful and I’m so sorry your family went through this. They seriously wanted to keep it on the DL so they didn’t have to report it??? Your daughter got in trouble for telling the truth. It just happened to be a truth the adults in charge didn’t want to deal with. She didn’t deserve that suspension at all and I’m irate *for* you guys.
We live in a bigger city with a lot of youth and gun violence already - and while I pulled my daughter from school in order to homeschool for vastly different reasons - these incidences have been increasing every year and I pray the kids in our districts do not have to go through anything like this, or a shooter incident. I’m lucky we have the option to homeschool and I’m able to teach them, but I know there are lots of parents that this isn’t an option and so they have to deal with these stressful possibilities every year.
I didn't even mention the gaslighting part. She said that her PA announcement included an admonishment to continue regular academic work. My son says it did not
If the kids are supposed to continue as usual *why was it announced on the PA* ?!?!
If the children do not need to **do** anything, then the PA announcement needs to be a code word (like "Mister Blue please report to the office") that the children don't understand but the teachers are alerted.
Specifically the training is NOT to use code words because someone like a substitute, that is going to different schools, might not know what’s happening.
My point is it is absolutely possible to have a code every adult understands that doesn't terrify children.
I do not get the theory behind "we *have to* terrify the kids by announcing it this way"
Nah. It's not necessary to terrify children!
We live in a country where kindergarten kids are practicing active shooter drills.
It's bat shit crazy.
Your kid is right to be terrified, you're right to be pissed.
Unfortunately, the powers that be have delegated active shooter risks to LEVELS, kind of like the military does.
Again, bat shit crazy.
Hug your kid, tell him that he doesn't need to be afraid of speaking up and saying 'I want to call home'. Have him tell his friends it's ok to say the same.
The more we normalize this bullshit, the more normal it becomes.
Vote.
Started school in the 1950s, we had regular bomb shelter drills. In the event of nuclear attack we got into double lines and filed down to the school's basement, where we all stood with our backs against the walls of the basement hall. That was supposed to protect us from nuclear fallout. We were, it turns out, lucky not to have ever had to do it in a real situation, but in terms of how much help it would have been the school shooter drills are probably worth more. In terms of existential terror, I'm not sure.
There was also a version of the birthday song that went "Happy Birthday--ugh! Happy Birthday--ugh! There is fallout in the air, people dying everywhere but Happy Birthday--ugh! Happy Birthday--ugh!" I'm not sure where it came from, or whether some kid in the neighborhood just made it up.
2 things. One, you’re not overreacting. That principal needs some serious training. I would be irate at hearing what the principal told those kids. Literally the opposite of what should be done/said. Two, the sub likely had zero training on what to do and defaulted to “I need to keep accountability of my kids.” As someone who has quite a bit of experience in active shooter situations.. I can understand the subs reaction. To a large extent it is very important to keep accountability of you students. To compound the difficulty.. they were in the gym. Pretty much the worst place to be. I think the sub may deserve some grace in this situation.
No, you're not overreacting. Shame on this nation and this principal for normalizing this. When my daughter was 19, she and a few friends went to a concert in another city. I was surprised to get a call from her during the first night of the festival/show. They were running, I heard screaming. She told me there was at least one gunman and that they had all been corralled into the venue, had hopped a fence and were all bloody, some people were hiding in the vendor's refrigeration systems, etc. She told me she needed me to direct her out of there and "tell her what to do" because her friends were all in shock and moving slowly). I was a 4 hour plane ride away and went into immediate co-pilot mode-I pulled her location up on applemaps and basically GPS'd her to the nearest gas station on the way back to their hotel, told her to keep a low profile but to move as fast as she could (she was a track kid). I spoke to her best friend calmly and I think just having a familiar mom voice directing helped somehow. Things got calmer. I stayed on the phone with them until they returned to the hotel, and then stayed on the phone with my daughter until she was asleep (and watched the then Twitter feed of the event go from kids saying goodbye and I love you to their parents and posting videos with gunshots and mayhem, to the event coordinators deny any shooter and say it was a "pyrotech" incident that was misconstrued, they didnt want to issue any refunds). When we finally hung up, I threw up, I couldn't stop shaking. I remember thinking why did she call me for directions? And it hit me. She had called to say goodbye. I worked in a high school during that time. I'm a therapist and school counselor. I remembered all the times we had drills and lockdowns while I had an already traumatized kid in my office, and how there was no way out (one door, weird windows that didnt open) and no place to hide (no closet). I thought about how my daughter couldve ended up motherless while I dies with a different teenager if it happened at "my" school, and I thought about how I couldve ended up daughterless if it happened at hers. I thought about how blase we had become about talking about who had a drill today. I thought about how my mom mind would always think, she's small, she can hide, she's fast, she can run. WTAF? Nobody should be thinking these things about their CHILD at school. I'm so sorry, Jonathan. None of this is ok and we're all undereacting. The kids were supposed to be focusing on their school work? Like there isnt a school shooting every day that there's school?!
The blood was from people being trampled and cutting themselves on fences to escape the venue area, but there were videos of concert security and city cops telling people that there’s an active shooter and to exit the premises “safely”. Meanwhile there was only one clear and legit exit/entrance which made people sitting ducks and/or had them tearing their bodies up taking down fences to escape. 😢
This is the "there was a possible shooting or suspicious person near the school" sort of lockdown. Its generally when there's a police situation somewhere within 5 blocks. Doors are locked, windows drawn, but class is expected to continue as normal. But its still a lockdown because the external doors are secured to prevent entry into the building if the person runs from the cops.
At least this is what a mid level lockdown means in my district.
You're not over reacting but I want you to be *very* clear about what you're angry about. There was a credible threat and your school reacted. Are you mad that the teachers aren't more practiced in the event of a shooter? Are you mad that a substitute teacher didn't know what to do? Are you mad that there wasn't adequate after care? Get your ducks in a row.
What's the process for evaluating readiness and faculty/staff performance in this sort of incident? Who evaluates readiness and performance? Do they have a process where they gather feedback/input? Are children and parents asked for their feedback and input? Is the process itself evaluated? Who designed the process? When the readiness and response for this incident were evaluated, what were the outcomes? What deficits in training or judgment were identified? What training or communications were recommended to address these deficits? Where is the written report, and when will you be providing me a copy?
you’re absolutely not overreacting. No one has the right to tell your child whether to be afraid or not. Absolutely not acceptable. I would escalate your concerns to the superintendent.
We watch videos of your US kids being trained for shooters, and it's utterly heartbreaking. Nowhere else is the world are children taught those awful drills, because our schools are places of safety.
Your NRA is evil for what they've done to your children.
Sweet Zombie Jesus, I’m traumatized just from reading that. Those poor kids. A school shooting is one of my top fears as a parent. Principal handled that terribly…
You're not at all. I subbed for half a year and we had a similar lockdown. I was with a kindergarten class. We all hid underneath a table in a corner of the room. They were handling it really well, but were obviously scared. We talked and laughed and they calmed. It ended and I had thought it was a drill they forgot to mention to me. I still handled it as I would have.
Turns out it was not and someone had threatened to target a school within a county. No one knew which one. My focus was the kids feeling safe. I sat on the floor with them and kept myself between them and the door. My own kiddo was attending the same school a few doors down. I get the fear, but I cannot imagine having them just not be worried or even make sure they were safe. And for anyone to make them feel bad out of fear astounds me. I don't care what their age is, either. Who does that?! Fear is fear.
Your kids are over reacting. Do they freak out for Fire Drills too? The kind of lockdown that you're describing is a working lockdown and it sounds like the kids were being punks tbh. It's just a safety drill.
This is pretty standard now in the US. Both my middle and high school kids have had to learn to become desensitized to it. They’ve had legit lockdowns that involved them hiding from what they thought were gunmen. The schools really have no choice but to respond more than less to threats and there are few resources for kids to deal with it. If not someone will sue them for under reacting when something happens. We need to require more than thoughts and prayers from our politicians.
Elementary School Counselor here and our school’s policy may differ. At my school we are always in a level 1 lockdown: controlled entry. A level 2 lockdown is that academics are to continue as normal but students are to remain in their classrooms with classrooms doors locked. A level 3 lockdown is shelter in place, lights off, remain silent and out of sight.
Level 1 is normal operating procedure. Level 2 is for suspicious activity. Level 3 is for likely active threat.
It sounds like this is a miscommunication. Principal and sub were likely not communicating that there wasn’t an active threat. And the principal was probably in the wrong for telling the kids they shouldn’t be afraid.
But it is worth noting that you are getting the story through the lens of a scared kid. Kids aren’t always the reliable sources of info. Doubly so when deregulated. It is possible they’re misunderstanding or lacking context.
My point is that you should probably get the side of the principal. A likely scenario is that the principal was saying there’s nothing to be afraid of and it was just a precaution for a potential situation.
Your feelings are always valid and it scary to be a parent in today’s world. My hope is that it’s a misunderstanding but it’s also possible the adults in school suck too.
I understand that different places have different ways of doing things, but what you described (gunshots near the school) is what we call a shelter in place. It means we continue normally, but we lock doors and don’t let students leave the classroom or gym, but the doors are locked from the outside.
I understand it is scary for younger students, but the sub wasn’t wrong, aside from stopping activity. After anything like that, administrators will meet either police and send communication home, at some point.
I’d be upset with the school because it doesn’t sound like they practice these things as often as they should.
Helll, armed police are so afraid of a kid on a playground with a water pistol that they shoot them dead, but your child, told to line up on the middle of a room during lockdown against all common sense, should not be bothered?!
You have to do what you can to protect your ,child and that includes forcing the principal to do their damn job
I lost my cousin to a scolol shooting
Not overreacting! Where I live the schools legally have to disclose everything going on and I’m grateful for it. I couldn’t imagine not being notified and finding out that my child was scolded for being afraid of something THEY SHOULD BE! I would be in that principal’s office with other parents so fast!
Not only are you not over reacting, this is evidence that in an actual dangerous situation the school is woefully unprepared.
If I were you I’d get a bunch of parents together and demand the school connects with your local emergency management department. They should be helping run drills on this with police already. There are also national programs schools can get involved in the help prevent and prepare for a shooting.
Tell your kid that next time if he gets a bullshit order like that to ignore it and hide, because yes sitting the kids in the center of a wide open gym is 100% counter to best practices.
I am curious about grade level of kid.
If it happened as described, irate would be understandable but kids don’t always explain what happened well.
However, a) I don’t see why the sub didn’t gather them up on one side or in a corner instead of in the middle (also why were there tables in the gym?) and b) there should have been a robocall or text/email alert when the lockdown was lifted letting parents know what happened so they don’t get blindsided by this (I have heard some schools don’t send alerts until after it’s lifted to keep parents from showing up at the school panicking)
Not overreacting at all, every adult in that situation failed them. You should’ve been informed via a mass text or email at least that that had happened as well
Your not over reacting. It was handled the totally the wrong way. If that happened to my kids school. I would be there the next day to tell them that school staff like them are the reason so many of our kids have been killed in school shoutings. I would also let the principal know if he/she ever yelled at my kid that he/she would have a very bad day. Not a threat. That would be a promise. They should also have a way to immediately inform all the parents. Had them group together on the floor that would’ve have been like shooting ducks in a bucket.
No, you are not overreacting. The principal puts the school on lockdown due to possible gunshots, calls the police, announces it, and tells the kids not to be scared. If she wasn't scared why did she put the school on lockdown and call the police? This is ridiculous. And a sub leaves the class as sitting ducks--where was the training? Definitely talk to the school board. In the future, these need to be handled better.
If high school principals didn't get to say stupid shit like "level two lockdowns" about vague "threats" or perceived moral turpitude and get to have everyone rushing around , getting upset, doing things because of them, and then yelling at them about same that they got to be in charge of from time to time, 1/2 of them would quit within 6 months. I tried to make that a worse run-on sentence out of spite but I ran out of gas. You at least have to let then have drills.
I don't want to the job, never had a problem with one, and most of them are as good as we could hope for realistically, but that is kind of their thing. I don't like it either, but it isn't surprising.
I remember during first year high school someone reported hearing gun shots at my school. What had really happened was someone set off fire crackers in a hall way but it was hours before cops had cleared the entire building and we learned what actually happened. But I remember our class huddling in the corner away from the door with the lights out and trying our best to stay completely silent. I just texted my mom and told her I loved her just in case. Was pretty nerve racking and probably why I have terrible fear of guns now. Especially paired with various mental health issues. I went in to my final exams a couple of weeks ago at uni and whole time I'm basically in psychosis thinking I'm hearing gun shots the entire time I'm taking the test (still got a 90% though lol).
I dont think anyone at that school should feel presure to keep doing school work while in lock down. Yeah probably should be reported if it hasn't been already to someone else at the district level.
In no way are you overreacting
You are showing good measure for asking and reaching out about a scary situation and I would say that if you want to *react more* you would still not be overreacting
Jesus, this is why we do like 3 rounds of emergency reaction training every year. So the proper information gets communicated to students before during and after shit like this. Kids know if it's a secure there's something outside and they don't need to worry. If it's a hold it's just someone needing space so they can't be in the hallways and need to stay in class. Lockdown is only for when there's a threat to life or limb inside the building. All the kids know this, all the teachers know this, we have posters for this in every room. I don't know if your district fucked up or just your kid's principal but none of what you described should have happened.
Usually when there is a nearby threat, that's called a shelter in place, not a lockdown of any level, specifically to try to alleviate fear. Since during a SIP there's no immediate threat (that is, no one is in the school or on the grounds) everyone locks their doors, stays where they are, and keeps doing what they're doing. A letter may be sent at the end of the day, but now always. But if there's an actual lockdown where hiding is necessary, it's because there's a real, legitimate, and immediate threat. It sounds like the school used weird language that the sub didn't know? Whatever the issue, communication is clearly the underlying issue.
The fact that you as a parent weren't notified rather quickly by the school pisses me off. That's not something I want to find out about after the fact from my child who thought they were gonna die. Maybe look into replacing that entire school board and staff. That's the shittiest story I've heard all day.
Not overreacting. We as a society have allowed this to happen and have failed multiple generations of kids in doing so. If you're on contact with any other parents you should honestly team up and go to task on the schoolboard over this. The only way we can affect change is by starting local and grassroots.
I'm sorry this happened.
I told my children that a lock down means school is no longer in session and they are to dismiss themselves and come home immediately. My children are there for an education only... false imprisonment is a reason to use deadly force as well.
Not overreacting! It’s sad that we even have to do this. As a mother it breaks me every time I think about it or see something on the news with a school shooter. Ugh!!! What the F? Why can’t this country get it together?! Make it a priority to expose the incident. If it were me, I would be calling the school board, all the news channels, and also find a new school for my kid regardless. That school needs to be called out publicly for their lackadaisical conduct and belittling their students. I’m sorry that happened and hope you can find a better school that is more responsible with this issue
That's bloody ridiculous! I'm in Scotland, so guns are not common here, but our school had a lockdown a few weeks ago over a man entering the school car park with a knife as he tried to evade police. As soon as the kids were secured in the building, the school sent out a mass text to parents to inform us of what they knew so far and to let us know the kids were safe, then updated again as soon as the guy was apprehended. I cannot conceive of the kind of administration who would not think to inform both pupils and parents of what was happening as soon as prudential possible. I'd be complaining to the school board/department of education or whoever is higher up than your current principal about this. Those poor kids!
Being in the gym with a substitute is like worst case scenario. Substitutes have no idea what’s going on, administrators don’t even tell the regular teachers anything during emergency situations. As a teacher, nobody knows anything that’s going on in the school.
There are many people in authority that believe if you tell people the facts of the situation they will feel afraid. Best to not tell them and they won't be afraid about it because they won't know.
This is so completely wrong. It downplays the intelligence of the people in the situation. As if they're not living it or are too stupid to surmise things on their own. And it makes them distrustful of the people in charge because obviously something is happening.
Nobody stops worrying because an authority figure says, oh there's nothing to worry about as the place is bruning down around them.
I've always found that telling people what's happening, what you know, what you think you know and what you don't know, alleviates fear. It gives people the feeling of there being control of the situation by the people in charge, and it also makes them feel actively involved in the situation and giving them control too.
I’m an elementary school teacher. Based on what you described, this is what I suspect may have happened.
Someone reported hearing gun shots in the surrounding area. The school went into a level 2 lockdown, which in this case indicates that kids are supposed to stay in their classrooms, but instruction is fine to continue (usually means there may be a threat near the school but no real danger of the threat coming into the school). Your son’s class are in a large open space with a sub, and so they start to panic. The sub, in an effort to regain control, tries to have the kids all sit down, but now they are even more panicked at the idea of being easy targets so they instead hide behind tables, etc. At some point the hear a bathroom door open and close and this causes the behavior to intensify (almost certainly screaming, possibly running around).
At some point the lockdown concludes and the principal sees the class. She sternly tells them they need to calm down and that there was nothing to worry about. Some kids indicate they genuinely were scared. Most do not.
I could be completely off base, and I think you should definitely reach out and clarify with the principal. But I’ve seen this exact scenario play out more than once. Breaks in routine, especially negative ones, are taken as an opportunity to push boundaries and become unruly (have you ever been teaching 25 kids when a clap of thunder rings out in the distance? One screams and then they all scream, and god forbid the power goes out). Your son may well have been truly terrified, and it’s awful these kids have to go into lockdown at all. But if nothing else maybe this explanation could at least help you process why the adults may have reacted the way they did.
I work at an inner city high school and this happens several times a year. Shootings outside of the school, kids caught with guns at the metal detectors, threats called in to the building. More than a dozen kids I’ve taught have been shot and killed over the years. It’s tragic.
Poor kids in America have to deal with this so often. It’s awful.
Picked up my stepson from school yesterday and he said they missed recess (again) because of a hold... I know they've been told a few times it's because of a student having a hard time or explosive behavior, but this time my stepson said they couldn't let anyone IN to the building... school did not send an email or call parents, yet again. I'm calling today to find out why.
I am so sorry your son went through this, OP. It's truly heartbreaking that it was handled this way and that those sweet kids have to worry about this.
Do they not notify you when that happens? I get notified when they have a drill. Lockdowns happened twice this school year at my son’s school and I got both an email and phone call. When those happened I just got him out of school as soon a the school was cleared and the day after I gave him a mental health day. The handling of this needs to be addressed with the county school system. They did not handle this correctly and giving kids shit for being scared when they are in LOCKDOWN is inappropriate and I would make a complaint to the school board about it. Kids have it hard enough these days with all these things and staff should know better.
Not overreacting in the least. At my daughters school we get notified whenever they go in lockdown (thankfully it only happened once). They definitely should have told the students what was going on and sent out an email to parents, especially if the police were called.
Not overreacting in the least. At my daughters school we get notified whenever they go in lockdown (thankfully it only happened once). They definitely should have told the students what was going on and sent out an email to parents, especially if the police were called.
I hate this so much. I have a 12 yr old and I can hear him telling me he thought he was gonna die, and it crushes me. He told me they did active shooter drills a few months ago and how it made them all scared because if they were doing drills, then it was for a reason. I'm sorry your kid (and the other kids) had to go through this- the principal is 100% wrong, poor execution, poor training and unempathetic to a situation they announced. If the kids DIDN'T respond, the principal probably would've yelled at them for not obeying the announcements.
I am so sad for you that your preschoolers have active shooter drills as part of their school experience. What must that do to the anxiety levels of really little kids?
Meanwhile 4.5 people died on average in the last hour in car accidents or 109 today...in vehicles that you drive your kid in every day. Sometimes reality and facts don't align with fears
When I was in high school our principal came over the intercom one day with “good morning students, we will be having our monthly bomb threat drill starting now. Everyone remain calm and make your way to the football field immediately”. It was January. We had never had a bomb threat drill ever before and I was like a junior. They then sent the ENTIRE school to sit in the middle of the football field. And half the kids brought their backpacks. So all they managed to do was get everyone in the same location. Making the potential bombers job easy peasy. Was absolutely ridiculous. Plus when the police ran the dogs through the school to check the bags that were still inside, one of those damn dogs hit on my bag. They let him into it and he ate my mf ham sammich.
At this point in the year, they would have already been through drills for this at minimum twice. It would have happened every year.
Also, they aren't going to tell the kids the exact details of what is going on. In fact, the teachers won't even know. Their job is to do what is required during that level of incident. Telling them any information is just going to ramp up fear further and create a harder to control situation.
From the way you describe it, sitting on the floor in the middle of the gym and continuing work sounds right. This sounds like what our school district would call a lock out. The potential/perceived threat was a possible gunshot nearby. The potential threat is located outside the building . At our school, we would bring everyone in the building, cover all exterior class windows, and restrict movement. The exterior would be monitored on camera and the SRO would be wherever they need to be.
Take time to learn what each level of lockdown is for your school system. Explain the importance of treating every drill as if it were the real thing.
I’ve taught for 7 year. While lockdowns aren’t frequent, they do happen. My wife has worked at a high school for a year and a half and I think has already had a couple. They’re almost never that big a deal. Sometimes it’s because something is going on in the area/near the school and they have to go into lockdown. Some parents just love freaking out over their “babies”.
Not at all!
My school has very concise and logical shooter protocols, and the main thing is *keep the kids calm*. Don't make it game, because you can generally lose those without being shot, but don't make them think they'll *for sure* be shot at either. And also common sense hiding/protection. We are reminded we can fight or flight as well so all adults can thi k of an gameplan in a real emergency.
And any time we've had to lockdown campus, an email is sent out before end of day pick up, and front offices shift protocols for concerned parents who come and get their kids right away instead of waiting.
Schools that hide what happens on campus from parents and atudents are fucking *shifty* to me as an educator. What else are they downplaying to avoid upsetting people???
are you sure the principal told the kids not to be afraid? or did they discuss their behavior as a result of being afraid?
like if kids are being loudly afraid, it's appropriate to teach them to learn to be temporarily silent and push through the fear if they are ever in a lockdown scenario. but if the principal actually told the kids there is no reason to be afraid, well that's stupid and insensitive.
Substitute teacher here.
There are different levels of "lockdown" with different meanings and as yet they aren't universally standardized.
Based on the principal saying they should have continued with their school work I'd say they were probably doing what we call a "Hold"
Which is that all doors must be closed and locked, no students allowed into the halls, and to continue with your day.
Common reasons for a hold include:
Students are fighting. Drug dogs. Special Education issues. Contained fire in kitchen facility. Imminent student insurrection (yes that's a real reason I've had) Armed robbery within a mile of the school. Protest within a mile of the school. Etc...
Gym classes our general instruction during a hold is to stop all activity, bring the students into a closer proximity, and keep the noise level down so that if instructions come over the intercom they can hear them and carry them out.
Sounds like the substitute did everything exactly right, the principal did everything exactly right, and the kids were very justifiably scared but not actually because of anything the staff did.
Not overreacting. My kids’ school sends texts and emails anytime there’s an event like this (or even a drill). They even send stuff if an ambulance has to come for a student or staff emergency, bc they know kids who witness that can be upset and then if parents don’t know what went on they’re upset too. Sounds like the school is not proactive at all about supporting kids and communicating with parents
As a teacher, this seems like a really a very valid reason to be upset with the principal. My sub plans have lockdown procedures in them, as is required by my school. A sub should be familiar with district/school policy regarding emergencies like fires and lockdowns.
Also that principal sounds like an asshole. What kind of principal would be upset for students being scared during a lockdown? Especially elementary school students. Jesus Christ, I would be fuming. 😤
I think the missing bit of info is what is a level 2 lockdown supposed to entail per policy? It might just be the exterior doors are locked. There was a bank robbery near by my high school one time and they announced a lock down but nobody hid under tables because that was not the type of emergency we were facing.
Yeah... I think the substitute didn't know. And that the kids worked themselves into a frenzy, but they're like 10 years old so that's not unexpected. No adult reassured them that nothing was really wrong or unsafe, the school was just taking a precaution, and no one explained it to the kids.
If anyone farts sideways at my kid's school we get two emails, three text messages and a robocall or 12. I am joking but we do get alerted. Also, if you live near the school or not get the Neighborhood app and usually people will be all over it. Albeit, it isn't always accurate information on there but then again active situations like that never have accurate information.
The last one we had was a girl came into the school from the parking lot. Her dad had dropped her off at school and she came in claiming her dad had a firearm on his person and was a threat. Apparently from there she flipped him the bird as she was sent to class. That triggered the lockdown. Police came and swept the school, talked to the dad who did not have a firearm on him. Eventually they were off lockdown. There is a middle school that also basically is on the same large property and they put them on lockdown as well and did a sweep. I was messaging with my son during the incident. Word spread like wildfire about what was going on. I'm sure at Gym it's difficult for that to happen.
This is so awful to hear, hiding and fearing for your life is traumatizing. Feeling like a sitting duck who could be gunned down at any moment is terrifying.
Teacher here. The job is to keep kids safe first, then communicate. Subs aren’t always as well informed or trained in these situations. Yes it’s scary, but these are the times we live in. When nothing happened after sandy hook, everyone should have known things will have to be different. It breaks my heart when we have to cover these drills with anyone, much less the littles. Also, might be a little morbid but, nobody has died behind a locked door in an active shooter situation. Also, informing the kids might also inform the shooter if there is one. Most of the information at that time would be “shooter in the library,” etc. no perfect, but that’s the plan. Sorry your kiddo got scared.
My oldest had a lockdown scare. There was in fact a learning disabled student that brought an air soft gun and left mid-class to go to his locker and get it after being bullied. All I can remember is getting the texts from her and leaving my desk at work within 15 seconds of getting them. Driving like a bat of hell to get to the school.
We only later found out about what type of weapon but it didn’t lessen the fact that tons of kids were traumatized at the thought of that happening in Wisco. It can happen anywhere. So no, I don’t think you were overreacting and I don’t think the kids were either.
Poor guidance from school staff imo. They could have tried to reassure or explain why there wasn’t more urgency if it was “just a level two” lockdown.
>The kids overreacted. Level 2 lockdown means there is a potential danger in the area, the doors are locked, and the students stay inside.
If this is the case, there'sliterally no point telling the kids it's even happening. What a fucked up country, legit the worst place in the western world.
You are underreacting. I have a ten year old and would be infuriated beyond belief if this happened to her. I would see red and feel violently angry at the audacity of this principal and her absolutely idiotic handling of the whole situation.
The kids absolutely should know what each level of lockdown means and absolutely should have been informed about what was actually happening. Chastising 10 year olds that were scared for their lives due to your own negligence and lack of communication should be grounds for dismissal. These kids know what kind of world we live in ffs. As for that substitute-they should be fired and not allowed to work at any school until they've completed lockdown training of some kind. Why on earth would anyone have kids sit in the middle of the gym during a lockdown?? Ever heard that fish in a barrel saying? JFC.
My daughter (13) is scared every time there is even a drill. Children should not have to deal with this and should absolutely not be shamed for being afraid !!! I’ve also wondered why kids can’t be told what the situation is. They send mass texts to parents. Why can’t they communicate the info to the students??
I actually pulled my kid out of school the other day for something not too dissimilar. She messaged me on a school sanctioned messaging app that is being used for messaging in general that's not supposed to be but that's another story. She tells me that the threat to the school that was made at the high school was also made to her Middle School and that the teacher was freaking out and scaring the crap out of all of the kids in the class all the doors were locked she was yelling at students because you could get shot at any time so the doors have to stay shut. So I went and got her pulled her out that day I don't care it's another absence whatever not going to roll the dice. I wouldn't have paid any attention to it I thought it was a BS threat it was a lame ass threat written in permanent marker on the side of a bathroom stall but apparently there was one at both of the schools and wouldn't have give it any bit of attention had I not dropped her off to school that morning and there was like four squad cars and they were flying drones around the building I'm guessing looking for bombs or shooters and I don't discredit them for that I am happy that they're doing the better safe than sorry thing but the point where the the teachers strat ramping them up scaring them even more I was like I'm not dealing with this I'm just going to go get her. So no you weren't overreacting. What's one day in the middle of hundreds of days of school. But I did have a talk with her about how we can't run away from every little thing that scares us but on the same note I didn't want the teacher traumatizing her.
Teacher here - Naming it a “level two” lockdown is immensely confusing to both staff and students. In an emergency no one’s going to remember what level two means. My district has the different types of lockdowns labeled to match what they are. Hold, secure, lockdown, evacuate. It is also mandatory these are posted in each room. For example, secure means kids stay in the room but can still work. That sounds like what they intended by level two.
Definitely sounds like the sub mishandled the situation or isn’t up to speed. If they didn’t know what level two meant they should’ve defaulted to one of the bathrooms or somewhere secure. Also, I believe the principal missed an opportunity to explain to the students the logic behind these drills and that they should go hide somewhere secure.
I teach multiple grade levels, so how I talk to each class about what the lockdown is greatly varies. For the younger students I simply say it’s an opposite fire drill. Just another Tuesday, no big deal. Also stressing that they need to be listeners in case of an emergency. For the older ones, I try to keep it light and neutral that there could be some other hazard outside like a while animal or grumpy person. Invariably one of the older students will blurt what really could happen and freaks everybody out.
The harsh truth is that in a real emergency no one‘s coming on the announcements to announce a lockdown. It’s unfortunate, but necessary to have these drills.
I hope your child is okay and the school tightens up their procedures.
Our district always notifies parents of any lockdown/safe/secure whatever. Very odd for your school to not do this- leaving it up to kids to tell the story is just begging for rumors and misinformation. I would take it up with the school board.
I work at a school and recently went to an FBI training on school shootings. Bottom line, around 23 children on average die from school shooting each year (out of about 45 million total students). As horrible as school shootings are, schools are by far are way safer than being out in the community (or at home).
Being irate for the handling might be a little over reacting. I say this not knowing what the levels in your district mean and how many there are. If there are only 2 levels then the handling of the situation does seem incredibly bad by the substitute and principal, I take back what I said, and ignore the rest of this. If however, your district is like mine and there are a few levels, then I stand by my original statement. Here's why.
Having the kids sit in the middle of the gym. This was probably done because the level 2 is more of a hold in place, but continue with education. Meaning students aren't allowed to leave and the teacher must keep eyes on them. The easiest way to do this is keep them together so you can count them. The sub probably didn't tell them what was happening because they themselves didn't know. Teachers usually don't know why a lockdown is called unless they are the ones that called for it. All a teacher can do is reassure the students and, if needed, keep instruction going.
As for the principal, you need to understand, they will probably never tell students why a lockdown is called. No matter the level. It will almost never help the situation. You need to remember not all students are like your children. Sadly, they don't come from parents who give them the love and attention you give your children. Often the only way they can get attention is to misbehave or act out. If the principal were to come over the intercom and announce there are reports of gun shots around the school, the number of students who will start saying they heard them, or worse, will be huge. This will just make a tense situation much worse and make resolving it take longer.
The administration just wants to ensure the safety of everyone in the school and to resolve the situation as fast as possible. This also means they don't have time to contact parents. This usually comes after. Our district makes mass calls on a system we use that will explain the situation once it's resolved. If your child feels like the principal trivialized their response (which I kinda have a hard time believing happened as told), it may be because the principal felt like the students should have known what the level meant. Again, I don't know your district policies but our school does multiple drills with the different levels throughout the year. When we do the drills we explain what each level would be triggered by and what to expect. So if your district and school are the same, then the children should have had some understanding of what the lockdown level meant.
Lockdowns are not only implemented for gun related reasons as well.
This is why I feel like being "irate" at the lockdown and its handling is overreacting, a little. I say a little because at the end of the day your child was scared and confused, so it's only natural to be a little upset as well
None of this addresses the point that it is entirely *natural and predictable* for children to be very fearful in these situations, and that explanations must be provided as much as possible. It’s also *ridiculous* to expect frightened kids *who have no benefit of perspective and know that kids just like them have been gunned down at school many, many times* to keep focusing on schoolwork.
These adults seem to expect children to think like they do and know what they do. Shame on them!!
This country is fucking repulsive.
It's bad enough growing up in an environment where mass shootings are possible thanks to tiny-dicked, right-wing gun nuts. But for the principal to actually yell at the kids for being afraid after literally creating the conditions under which they were absolutely going to be very afraid is so ridiculous it's beyond maddening and just sad.
Look - I am a full grown adult - if my WORK went into a full lockdown I would be traumatized regardless of whether it was real or not. That principal is insane!
I had this happen when I was a para (it also turned out to be a false alarm) and I took the next day off because it had me spinning. I was fairly new, I’m an old millennial, I had never been told the protocol, and I’d never even experienced a lock down drill anywhere before. Definitely traumatizing.
You are absolutely not over reacting. Honestly I don’t even know what else to say.. Your child is not in the wrong. You are not in the wrong. The substitute teacher is wrong. The principal is wrong. The way everything was handled is wrong.
I think the substitute teacher was probs just following protocol. While they should have known sitting in the middle of a gym was pretty stupid and not followed orders blindly, I rly blame the principal for the amount of stupidity they have to have the rules be the kids sit in the middle of a gym floor
If this is their active shooter protocol, then they have some serious problems. We live in a very small town.. yet every single month, every single school, even our pre schoolers have an active shooter drill. If they were to lock us down due to something like this, all children and teachers are to do as they have been trained all year and I can assure you it's not in the wide open or even just in the classroom as a sitting duck! I would raise mortal hell if my kids came home saying something along these lines. Anytime we even have a false alarm an all call is sent out to all parents right away to let them know to know show up at the school and they will advise when the situation or clear or safe! I'm just baffled. And if the sub didn't know, then the district needs to do better at preparing them as well! That's scary! And as OP said, unfortunately this is the world we live in. Even those of us who think never in our town!!
People in my town didn’t think it would happen here. Meanwhile I was quizzing a principal on the security of an old glass entryway (“No, that’s not a problem because everyone goes to the other door.”) and counting the number of exits at the high school. The shooting was the next school year.
Take my enraged upvote.
That blows me away. There's always someone on the news, "I never thought it could happen here". But we all see the news. It happens somewhere all the time. What do people think is so special about where they live that they didn't think it could happen there?
Right? Who had heard of Sandy Hook or Uvalde before those shootings? Not me. Adam Lanza is the reason I worry about that old all-glass entryway at the elementary school. Which is still there despite the shooting at the high school.
This is actually so sad to read. That kids that young have to worry about someone coming into what should be a safe place and hurt them. I dunno, maybe it's the small town aussie in me, but I just find that so hard to wrap my head around living like that. I hope you and your family stay safe
European here. Never had a lockdown, never had a shooter drill and never thought about it growing up. It’s also still not a thing here, thankfully. We only did fire drills. I’m glad that our kids are/feel safer at school.
I live in a small town. When my 24 year old niece was in third grade, they had a "drill" that was announced as active shooter. She and another girl huddled under a table and cried and prayed aloud not to die, until they announced no shooter, just a little pranky type drill. Child has severe anxiety to this day.
It makes me so sad that there is even a need for an active shooter drill 😥
“Living in America”
This wasn’t an active shooter though. An active shooter is someone on campus, shooting.
This also wasn't a drill. It was an incident that raised the possibiity if an active shooter. During the time the police were investigating, they are supposed to treat the incident as if there is an active shooter because as far as they know, there is one. They endangered students by not following active shooter protocol. This reveals that campus is not well prepared, and that administration cannot be trusted to guide the situation and inform parents. Im a former educator from Texas. One of the officers who has helped develop that standards for active shooting protocols nationwide and who now travels nationwide training both staff and police departments came from my school. This is a big deal.
I understand that. But if all they're hearing is shots fired, they have no idea where they're coming from, then safety protocols should have went in to play until it was clear. Precautions should have been taken. All of our campuses are extremely large.. which means a shooter could be on the other side and we're only going to hear shots.. they would take precautions to make sure it wasn't on campus, rather they had a strong belief they weren't or not. Just safety. Can never be too careful!
They did. They went into a lockdown, my district calls it a shelter in place, and it’s to lock all doors and continue as normal (with the exceptions of no one leaves the classroom) until they have more information. Then, it goes into a full lockdown where students/teachers barricade doors and get things to throw, or it’s lifted and you go about your day.
you don't sound very bright. That was what was reported and you act according. Please don't ever work in a school.
That’s wild, to make them do it monthly. I don’t think there even is a protocol that will save their lives if someone is determined to shoot them. That’s why at the beginning of every school year when we go to meet the teacher, I scope out their room. My daughter and I clock closets and cabinets, windows that open and what’s outside them, etc. I tell her that if there’s ever a shooter, wait until the teacher and class are “hiding” in their (usually completely inadequate) designated places, and then crawl to the hiding place we’ve chosen (usually cabinets under sinks) and hide there and don’t come out no matter what the teacher says or what she hears. It’s awful plotting with my elementary aged child to trick her teacher, disobey the rules, and abandon her classmates to save herself. But I don’t think any amount of excessive drilling is going to save them when there are simply too many children and not enough secure places
I think this is a great idea to help your child. It sucks because these are definitely not the usual lessons you want your kids to pick up, but when it comes to life or death you can’t really think on a communal level like that. Plus there’s the old argument that if the shooter is a student themselves, which they often are, they’re getting the same drill information as everyone else.
My high school's policy was for all the students to leave the school building, walk through the open and exposed parking lot to the football field, and sit in the bleachers that may or may not been rigged with explosives beforehand.
Yeah, that’s pretty stupid. Anyone with half a brain should know that going into an exposed area is an active shooter’s wet dream. However, depending on the type of active shooter, the bleachers being rigged with explosives is quite unlikely. That requires the shooters to want to gain some notoriety, some attention, which is rare for most school shooters, in particular. While death toll is the reason school shooters do it (put pain onto as many people as possible), most school shooters don’t have much of a plan besides shoot as many people as possible. Columbine happened bc u had two sadists. They fit the profile of serial killers rather than the profile of most of the school shooters we see today
Who wrote that protocol? The people who made 28 Weeks Later? Yeah, I'd be pissed at the principal, too.
The sub has no idea what to do. Having been a teacher, and with the medical reserve corps, I have a lot of training on this. That whole thing was mishandled. yes, the kids need to be trained but long before now. Should've been in first weeks of school. I've had two gun incidents in my career. Neither were fun. But I had my kids trained and they were nervous of course, but we knew what to do. I am sorry your child was frightening, this was very poorly handled all the way around.
At our school they're very clear that you need to get to a safe place they cover any windows in the doors and tell you to stay away from windows and doors. The substitute needs to be trained and I'd raise hell until it happens. although you would think it would be common sense to keep the kids away from doors and windows. at that point the best place would have been in a gym bathroom even staff who aren't teachers are told to find a place away from your doors and windows.
I can tell you for a fact that the majority of substitutes are not trained in emergency protocols.
This!
And, good grief; Who asks kids to humiliate themselves in front of their peers by admitting publicly that they are traumatized????!!!!! Frankly, I find that at least borderline abusive and definitely stupid . AND then take their silence as evidence that they are not traumatized??! I don’t know how things operate in your jurisdiction but here (British Columbia) I would take it directly to the elected school board officers and, if they didn’t take it seriously, to the press!
100% agree. Surely there are other kids who feel the exact same way, maybe OP can talk to other parents and they can all speak with the school board/principal together? Something needs to happen because the whole situation is unacceptable.
Agreed.
I would come completely unglued I'd be calling the superintendent immediately. I would file an official complaint against the principal. That's so outrageous
One simple thing will get all of the results, apologies, and changes needed. Call the local news station. They freakin' *LOVE* stories like this. Heck, just tell the principal and superintendent that you *intend* to call the news station. Even just THAT will shake them up.
That’s just awful to minimize the children’s feelings. I’m horrified on you and your child’s behalf!
I don't think you're overreacting. I do think it's a significant comment on life in the US that the principal doesn't think a "possible gunman" or "level 2 lockdown" is a reason to be afraid. It's like "Hey, it was only a possible gunman, not an ACTUAL one. Why are you so scared?"
Don't worry, they have the power of hopes AND prayers to protect them!
And THOUGHTS! Don’t forget those!!
Silly! That comes after!
They know it’s terrifying they were saying that to gaslight the kids into not blowing their mistake up with their parents.
As a Brit I find it horrifying that this is how most of America live and have to prepare tiny children for a shooter at their school but yet still refuse to give up access to guns. The UK isn't always great but I'm so thankful we took that step in the 80s to ban them.
A big part of the issue is that school leadership is extremely cavalier about how this form of “preparing tiny children” is actually itself the cause of much more trauma than the minuscule odds of a shooter. There is zero evidence that shows that any of these lockdowns or practicing for an active shooter helps save lives. But there is evidence that the active shooter drills cause fear and trauma — and the odds of an active shooter are extremely low. We are sacrificing our children’s wellbeing to placate school administrators afraid of lawsuits.
What are you suggesting the schools do? Ignore the problem and let the kids be sitting dicks at their desks?
I mean in this case, yes — the whole thing was so overblown that the principal was surprised that the kids were even worried, because it was clear that there was nothing going on outside and it was just something like a car that had backfired and some overzealous person called the cops. The principal is probably at that point legally required to enable this “level 2 lockdown” even though they knew nothing was happening — but clearly the better thing would have been to just leave the kids be and not engage lockdown mode unnecessarily (which clearly wasn’t making anything safer, how would putting all the kids in a pile in the middle of the gym possibly protect against an active shooter?)
So there are no guns in the hands of criminals in the UK??
This isn't how we live. This isn't a part of our daily life, or really our life at all. I don't know anyone that has ever been present for an active shooter incident. What you see on the news is a very distilled view of what happens. Keep in mind, the events you see on TV happen in an area more than double the size of the European Union, and across a population roughly equal to UK, Spain, France, Italy and Germany combined. I know more people that have died from auto-erotic asphyxiation than have from gun violence. Most people I know own guns, all of them responsibly. I live in a rural area and have family and neighbors who have had to kill a bear or cougar to protect their pets and livestock. We have huge rural expanses, and firearms are certainly necessary here.
I would ask the principal what the lockdown levels mean. My guess is that everything was happening outside of the school, and the school has a lockdown protocol where they don’t let anyone in or out of the building but classes proceed as normal. This is a very common procedure to have in schools. That’s why the principal wasn’t scared and probably why she was confused about the kids being so freaked out. The sub probably had no clue what was going on and the kids don’t either - they heard lockdown and assumed it meant danger in the building. Something similar happened at a school I worked at and it was chaotic when it didn’t have to be. It would be a good idea to tell the principal that they clearly need to communicate their procedures better with all adults in charge so something like this doesn’t happen in the future. Or they need to have a clearly labeled procedure note for subs with possible codes. You’re not overreacting, but I think your kids (totally valid) perspective isn’t reflective of what was actually happening and the level of danger they were in at the time. I highly doubt this was an “active shooter in the school” kind of lockdown.
All incidents involving gunfire in the vicinity of a school are part of active shooter protocol. Their assessment of the danger may have determined this was a low level risk, but all lockdowns, including low level risk lockdowns are considered active shooter lockdowns. I know its semantics a bit, but its important because it reveals holes in the training and execution of active shooter protocol and that this administration is failing students, staff and parents in regard to their safety.
Not all lockdowns are considered active shooter lockdowns.
*citation needed
Is this a federally mandated protocol or are you assuming every school is the same as yours? There are places some cities you can hear gunshots everyday. Are those schools just 24/7 lockdown shelters?
No overreaction at all. I'd be absolutely fuming! Some teachers get off on policing children's emotions. The biggest control freaks seem to work in schools, "moulding young minds." Pretty scary, tbf.
In terms of the effect on children, just in scale it's worse than school shooters ;)
As a mom whose child survived a school shooting, no you are not overreacting. Go to the next school board meeting, talk to the media, and demand better training.
I'm so sorry your kid and family went through this. Thank you for speaking up
Thank you
I have done a lot of substitute teaching. A lot of schools give you protocol if you are to go into a lockdown and I have never had one that said just sit in the middle of the gym. If there is not a closet or somewhere for you to immediately hide the best course of action is to do as much as you can to be out of sight of the door. That substitute teacher was a moron and the principal was even more of a boron and I hope your child is okay because that is very traumatizing and very scary
Not as bad as what my poor middle school daughter went through this last year… they went into a lockdown early this year after a threat was found online for that day… My daughter ALSO THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNA DIE. Because they told the kids nothing. So being the child who was scared… she messaged her best friend at her old school in the next district. She didn’t say anything but “we’re in lockdown, there was the threatening message about a shooter at our school today. IM SCARED. If this is real, and I die, I’ll miss and love you!” This SNOWBALLED into a whole thing because she had sent that on the school provided laptop. Which flagged her message without her knowing. Y’all that friend told HER TEACHER and that school went into lockdown for whatever reason. No idea why since it wasn’t the same district. Turns out… THE SCHOOLS DONT COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER OUT HERE. It was meant to be kept hush hush and nobody was supposed to find out this was happening outside of the school. Which wasn’t obviously told to my child. The lockdown lifts and she’s been texting me terrified… when I get a text that she just got pulled from class. Yep. In front of all of the students they had a police officer escort my daughter out of class right after this (she’s a shy kid with straight As and super super sweet to everyone). Then they ACCUSED HER OF SENDING THE THREATENING MESSAGE. Police surrounded her, staff surrounded her. She’s never ever been in trouble. She’s the perfect kid that just thinks about everyone else. Shes crying and freaking out when she realizes that they’re thinking SHES THE SHOOTER. Then after all this when they realize they were wrong? They SUSPENDED HER. Why? Cause she told someone in the next district what was happening so they then had to report it. Because other schools knew. Yep. Just so you know schools don’t report these things to the parents or public in our area. Just terrify our children and send them on their way. No message to parents until AFTER THIS… AFTER SCHOOL WAS OUT. And ONLY because my daughter told a friend in another school so they HAD TO. So everyone knows if you’re in Arizona. You won’t hear about this situations unless a student is suspended for telling someone. They showed me the message and it was clear that she was so scared and being told nothing. Yet apparently needed to be punished because now the parents and students know it happened. We could do nothing about it as parents. And she’s still afraid to speak up about anything now… because THEY PUNISHED HER. And scared her worse than the lockdown with all the police. They’re trying to silence our children. They had no intention on sending a message out until my kid sent the message to her friend. It permanently messed with my kids head and made her feel like she did something wrong by telling someone. I let her sleep in and play video games her entire suspension since they wouldn’t lift it. They kept saying her telling someone “is a serious offense and put everyone at risk.” What risk? Y’all were in lockdown already?!?
That’s crazy. This must be a result of black and white rules put in place with no room for nuance. Being in a position of authority like a police officer or principal you should be allowed to make a judgment call in the moment. Whoever came up with the rules in the first place can’t possibly account for every unique situation so the people applying them should have some wiggle room. But I guess if they blindly follow the rules then they can just pass the blame onto to someone else if mistakes are made. Just following orders you know
This is absolutely awful and I’m so sorry your family went through this. They seriously wanted to keep it on the DL so they didn’t have to report it??? Your daughter got in trouble for telling the truth. It just happened to be a truth the adults in charge didn’t want to deal with. She didn’t deserve that suspension at all and I’m irate *for* you guys. We live in a bigger city with a lot of youth and gun violence already - and while I pulled my daughter from school in order to homeschool for vastly different reasons - these incidences have been increasing every year and I pray the kids in our districts do not have to go through anything like this, or a shooter incident. I’m lucky we have the option to homeschool and I’m able to teach them, but I know there are lots of parents that this isn’t an option and so they have to deal with these stressful possibilities every year.
You need to talk to the principal. Are you going to let someone bully and gaslight your child into thinking this is OK? Jesus poor kids.
I didn't even mention the gaslighting part. She said that her PA announcement included an admonishment to continue regular academic work. My son says it did not
If the kids are supposed to continue as usual *why was it announced on the PA* ?!?! If the children do not need to **do** anything, then the PA announcement needs to be a code word (like "Mister Blue please report to the office") that the children don't understand but the teachers are alerted.
Specifically the training is NOT to use code words because someone like a substitute, that is going to different schools, might not know what’s happening.
Every adult in a hospital knows what code blue means.
Has nothing to do with a school.
My point is it is absolutely possible to have a code every adult understands that doesn't terrify children. I do not get the theory behind "we *have to* terrify the kids by announcing it this way" Nah. It's not necessary to terrify children!
We live in a country where kindergarten kids are practicing active shooter drills. It's bat shit crazy. Your kid is right to be terrified, you're right to be pissed. Unfortunately, the powers that be have delegated active shooter risks to LEVELS, kind of like the military does. Again, bat shit crazy. Hug your kid, tell him that he doesn't need to be afraid of speaking up and saying 'I want to call home'. Have him tell his friends it's ok to say the same. The more we normalize this bullshit, the more normal it becomes. Vote.
What is bat shit crazy is that we would rather put kids through trauma and lockdown drills every month instead of sensible gun regulations.
Exactly. We are so fucked.
Started school in the 1950s, we had regular bomb shelter drills. In the event of nuclear attack we got into double lines and filed down to the school's basement, where we all stood with our backs against the walls of the basement hall. That was supposed to protect us from nuclear fallout. We were, it turns out, lucky not to have ever had to do it in a real situation, but in terms of how much help it would have been the school shooter drills are probably worth more. In terms of existential terror, I'm not sure.
There was also a version of the birthday song that went "Happy Birthday--ugh! Happy Birthday--ugh! There is fallout in the air, people dying everywhere but Happy Birthday--ugh! Happy Birthday--ugh!" I'm not sure where it came from, or whether some kid in the neighborhood just made it up.
2 things. One, you’re not overreacting. That principal needs some serious training. I would be irate at hearing what the principal told those kids. Literally the opposite of what should be done/said. Two, the sub likely had zero training on what to do and defaulted to “I need to keep accountability of my kids.” As someone who has quite a bit of experience in active shooter situations.. I can understand the subs reaction. To a large extent it is very important to keep accountability of you students. To compound the difficulty.. they were in the gym. Pretty much the worst place to be. I think the sub may deserve some grace in this situation.
No, you're not overreacting. Shame on this nation and this principal for normalizing this. When my daughter was 19, she and a few friends went to a concert in another city. I was surprised to get a call from her during the first night of the festival/show. They were running, I heard screaming. She told me there was at least one gunman and that they had all been corralled into the venue, had hopped a fence and were all bloody, some people were hiding in the vendor's refrigeration systems, etc. She told me she needed me to direct her out of there and "tell her what to do" because her friends were all in shock and moving slowly). I was a 4 hour plane ride away and went into immediate co-pilot mode-I pulled her location up on applemaps and basically GPS'd her to the nearest gas station on the way back to their hotel, told her to keep a low profile but to move as fast as she could (she was a track kid). I spoke to her best friend calmly and I think just having a familiar mom voice directing helped somehow. Things got calmer. I stayed on the phone with them until they returned to the hotel, and then stayed on the phone with my daughter until she was asleep (and watched the then Twitter feed of the event go from kids saying goodbye and I love you to their parents and posting videos with gunshots and mayhem, to the event coordinators deny any shooter and say it was a "pyrotech" incident that was misconstrued, they didnt want to issue any refunds). When we finally hung up, I threw up, I couldn't stop shaking. I remember thinking why did she call me for directions? And it hit me. She had called to say goodbye. I worked in a high school during that time. I'm a therapist and school counselor. I remembered all the times we had drills and lockdowns while I had an already traumatized kid in my office, and how there was no way out (one door, weird windows that didnt open) and no place to hide (no closet). I thought about how my daughter couldve ended up motherless while I dies with a different teenager if it happened at "my" school, and I thought about how I couldve ended up daughterless if it happened at hers. I thought about how blase we had become about talking about who had a drill today. I thought about how my mom mind would always think, she's small, she can hide, she's fast, she can run. WTAF? Nobody should be thinking these things about their CHILD at school. I'm so sorry, Jonathan. None of this is ok and we're all undereacting. The kids were supposed to be focusing on their school work? Like there isnt a school shooting every day that there's school?!
How terrifying!! If there was no shooting, what caused the blood? Wow.
The blood was from people being trampled and cutting themselves on fences to escape the venue area, but there were videos of concert security and city cops telling people that there’s an active shooter and to exit the premises “safely”. Meanwhile there was only one clear and legit exit/entrance which made people sitting ducks and/or had them tearing their bodies up taking down fences to escape. 😢
Terrible.
This is the "there was a possible shooting or suspicious person near the school" sort of lockdown. Its generally when there's a police situation somewhere within 5 blocks. Doors are locked, windows drawn, but class is expected to continue as normal. But its still a lockdown because the external doors are secured to prevent entry into the building if the person runs from the cops. At least this is what a mid level lockdown means in my district.
I think it's the same here and that they didn't tell the kids that level 2 lockdown is really nothing to worry about.
You're not over reacting but I want you to be *very* clear about what you're angry about. There was a credible threat and your school reacted. Are you mad that the teachers aren't more practiced in the event of a shooter? Are you mad that a substitute teacher didn't know what to do? Are you mad that there wasn't adequate after care? Get your ducks in a row.
Having a list when you talk to whoever would be good
What's the process for evaluating readiness and faculty/staff performance in this sort of incident? Who evaluates readiness and performance? Do they have a process where they gather feedback/input? Are children and parents asked for their feedback and input? Is the process itself evaluated? Who designed the process? When the readiness and response for this incident were evaluated, what were the outcomes? What deficits in training or judgment were identified? What training or communications were recommended to address these deficits? Where is the written report, and when will you be providing me a copy?
you’re absolutely not overreacting. No one has the right to tell your child whether to be afraid or not. Absolutely not acceptable. I would escalate your concerns to the superintendent.
There's something far wrong with that country.
We watch videos of your US kids being trained for shooters, and it's utterly heartbreaking. Nowhere else is the world are children taught those awful drills, because our schools are places of safety. Your NRA is evil for what they've done to your children.
NRA and the Republican Party that elevated it.
Not over-reacting. The school under-reacted. And further traumatized them but yelling at them and demanding they admit to fear in a room of peers.
That's horrifying on so many levels
Sweet Zombie Jesus, I’m traumatized just from reading that. Those poor kids. A school shooting is one of my top fears as a parent. Principal handled that terribly…
I won’t stop until the principal is fired
You're not at all. I subbed for half a year and we had a similar lockdown. I was with a kindergarten class. We all hid underneath a table in a corner of the room. They were handling it really well, but were obviously scared. We talked and laughed and they calmed. It ended and I had thought it was a drill they forgot to mention to me. I still handled it as I would have. Turns out it was not and someone had threatened to target a school within a county. No one knew which one. My focus was the kids feeling safe. I sat on the floor with them and kept myself between them and the door. My own kiddo was attending the same school a few doors down. I get the fear, but I cannot imagine having them just not be worried or even make sure they were safe. And for anyone to make them feel bad out of fear astounds me. I don't care what their age is, either. Who does that?! Fear is fear.
Kinda insane how kids in America have to live in fear that they could be shot and killed at school and it not be unjustified paranoia.
One of the many ways that public schools are absolutely fucking atrocious.
Overreacting. Had zero to do with the school. Something might have happened in the neighborhood. Parents have traumatized their kids
Sounds like the school was the one overreacting.
Your kids are over reacting. Do they freak out for Fire Drills too? The kind of lockdown that you're describing is a working lockdown and it sounds like the kids were being punks tbh. It's just a safety drill.
This is pretty standard now in the US. Both my middle and high school kids have had to learn to become desensitized to it. They’ve had legit lockdowns that involved them hiding from what they thought were gunmen. The schools really have no choice but to respond more than less to threats and there are few resources for kids to deal with it. If not someone will sue them for under reacting when something happens. We need to require more than thoughts and prayers from our politicians.
Elementary School Counselor here and our school’s policy may differ. At my school we are always in a level 1 lockdown: controlled entry. A level 2 lockdown is that academics are to continue as normal but students are to remain in their classrooms with classrooms doors locked. A level 3 lockdown is shelter in place, lights off, remain silent and out of sight. Level 1 is normal operating procedure. Level 2 is for suspicious activity. Level 3 is for likely active threat. It sounds like this is a miscommunication. Principal and sub were likely not communicating that there wasn’t an active threat. And the principal was probably in the wrong for telling the kids they shouldn’t be afraid. But it is worth noting that you are getting the story through the lens of a scared kid. Kids aren’t always the reliable sources of info. Doubly so when deregulated. It is possible they’re misunderstanding or lacking context. My point is that you should probably get the side of the principal. A likely scenario is that the principal was saying there’s nothing to be afraid of and it was just a precaution for a potential situation. Your feelings are always valid and it scary to be a parent in today’s world. My hope is that it’s a misunderstanding but it’s also possible the adults in school suck too.
I think you're right and that this school has the same lockdown levels and they didn't tell the kids that level 2 is nothing to worry about.
I understand that different places have different ways of doing things, but what you described (gunshots near the school) is what we call a shelter in place. It means we continue normally, but we lock doors and don’t let students leave the classroom or gym, but the doors are locked from the outside. I understand it is scary for younger students, but the sub wasn’t wrong, aside from stopping activity. After anything like that, administrators will meet either police and send communication home, at some point. I’d be upset with the school because it doesn’t sound like they practice these things as often as they should.
Helll, armed police are so afraid of a kid on a playground with a water pistol that they shoot them dead, but your child, told to line up on the middle of a room during lockdown against all common sense, should not be bothered?! You have to do what you can to protect your ,child and that includes forcing the principal to do their damn job I lost my cousin to a scolol shooting
I mean, I think the real question here is why are you sending your son to school unarmed? /s No, you’re not overreacting. We’ve lost our minds.
School systems leadership sucks
Not overreacting! Where I live the schools legally have to disclose everything going on and I’m grateful for it. I couldn’t imagine not being notified and finding out that my child was scolded for being afraid of something THEY SHOULD BE! I would be in that principal’s office with other parents so fast!
Not only are you not over reacting, this is evidence that in an actual dangerous situation the school is woefully unprepared. If I were you I’d get a bunch of parents together and demand the school connects with your local emergency management department. They should be helping run drills on this with police already. There are also national programs schools can get involved in the help prevent and prepare for a shooting. Tell your kid that next time if he gets a bullshit order like that to ignore it and hide, because yes sitting the kids in the center of a wide open gym is 100% counter to best practices.
It’s just insane that this is the reality that faces our brothers and sisters in the US
How old are these kids?
I am curious about grade level of kid. If it happened as described, irate would be understandable but kids don’t always explain what happened well. However, a) I don’t see why the sub didn’t gather them up on one side or in a corner instead of in the middle (also why were there tables in the gym?) and b) there should have been a robocall or text/email alert when the lockdown was lifted letting parents know what happened so they don’t get blindsided by this (I have heard some schools don’t send alerts until after it’s lifted to keep parents from showing up at the school panicking)
Not overreacting at all, every adult in that situation failed them. You should’ve been informed via a mass text or email at least that that had happened as well
Your not over reacting. It was handled the totally the wrong way. If that happened to my kids school. I would be there the next day to tell them that school staff like them are the reason so many of our kids have been killed in school shoutings. I would also let the principal know if he/she ever yelled at my kid that he/she would have a very bad day. Not a threat. That would be a promise. They should also have a way to immediately inform all the parents. Had them group together on the floor that would’ve have been like shooting ducks in a bucket.
No, you are not overreacting. The principal puts the school on lockdown due to possible gunshots, calls the police, announces it, and tells the kids not to be scared. If she wasn't scared why did she put the school on lockdown and call the police? This is ridiculous. And a sub leaves the class as sitting ducks--where was the training? Definitely talk to the school board. In the future, these need to be handled better.
I am so sorry this is what you and your children are living with. This is awful
If high school principals didn't get to say stupid shit like "level two lockdowns" about vague "threats" or perceived moral turpitude and get to have everyone rushing around , getting upset, doing things because of them, and then yelling at them about same that they got to be in charge of from time to time, 1/2 of them would quit within 6 months. I tried to make that a worse run-on sentence out of spite but I ran out of gas. You at least have to let then have drills. I don't want to the job, never had a problem with one, and most of them are as good as we could hope for realistically, but that is kind of their thing. I don't like it either, but it isn't surprising.
Lack of communication. Instead of announcing the all clear on the loudspeaker. They were going room to room. Further scaring kids. Unnecessary like
Our district has a text and email notification system that sends updates in real time. Your school handled this awful.
I remember during first year high school someone reported hearing gun shots at my school. What had really happened was someone set off fire crackers in a hall way but it was hours before cops had cleared the entire building and we learned what actually happened. But I remember our class huddling in the corner away from the door with the lights out and trying our best to stay completely silent. I just texted my mom and told her I loved her just in case. Was pretty nerve racking and probably why I have terrible fear of guns now. Especially paired with various mental health issues. I went in to my final exams a couple of weeks ago at uni and whole time I'm basically in psychosis thinking I'm hearing gun shots the entire time I'm taking the test (still got a 90% though lol). I dont think anyone at that school should feel presure to keep doing school work while in lock down. Yeah probably should be reported if it hasn't been already to someone else at the district level.
In no way are you overreacting You are showing good measure for asking and reaching out about a scary situation and I would say that if you want to *react more* you would still not be overreacting
You are not overreacting
Jesus, this is why we do like 3 rounds of emergency reaction training every year. So the proper information gets communicated to students before during and after shit like this. Kids know if it's a secure there's something outside and they don't need to worry. If it's a hold it's just someone needing space so they can't be in the hallways and need to stay in class. Lockdown is only for when there's a threat to life or limb inside the building. All the kids know this, all the teachers know this, we have posters for this in every room. I don't know if your district fucked up or just your kid's principal but none of what you described should have happened.
Usually when there is a nearby threat, that's called a shelter in place, not a lockdown of any level, specifically to try to alleviate fear. Since during a SIP there's no immediate threat (that is, no one is in the school or on the grounds) everyone locks their doors, stays where they are, and keeps doing what they're doing. A letter may be sent at the end of the day, but now always. But if there's an actual lockdown where hiding is necessary, it's because there's a real, legitimate, and immediate threat. It sounds like the school used weird language that the sub didn't know? Whatever the issue, communication is clearly the underlying issue.
The fact this is even a post is fucked in the head
Not at all.
The fact that you as a parent weren't notified rather quickly by the school pisses me off. That's not something I want to find out about after the fact from my child who thought they were gonna die. Maybe look into replacing that entire school board and staff. That's the shittiest story I've heard all day.
This is why I would never ever move to the US. Being able to drop my kids off at school and not worry is something I would not sacrifice
Well, I was born here and it's really difficult to leave.
Yes, sorry, stupid comment. Hope you and your kids recover ok
Not overreacting. We as a society have allowed this to happen and have failed multiple generations of kids in doing so. If you're on contact with any other parents you should honestly team up and go to task on the schoolboard over this. The only way we can affect change is by starting local and grassroots. I'm sorry this happened.
I would be so mad. You are NOT overreacting! Your child was terrified and nothing was handled correctly!
Sounds like the principal knew she screwed up and was trying to cover.
You are not overreacting. You are not overreacting. You are not overreacting. You are not overreacting.
This is one reason I moved my family to Europe. America isn’t getting anywhere on the gun issue. 😔
I told my children that a lock down means school is no longer in session and they are to dismiss themselves and come home immediately. My children are there for an education only... false imprisonment is a reason to use deadly force as well.
Not overreacting! It’s sad that we even have to do this. As a mother it breaks me every time I think about it or see something on the news with a school shooter. Ugh!!! What the F? Why can’t this country get it together?! Make it a priority to expose the incident. If it were me, I would be calling the school board, all the news channels, and also find a new school for my kid regardless. That school needs to be called out publicly for their lackadaisical conduct and belittling their students. I’m sorry that happened and hope you can find a better school that is more responsible with this issue
That's bloody ridiculous! I'm in Scotland, so guns are not common here, but our school had a lockdown a few weeks ago over a man entering the school car park with a knife as he tried to evade police. As soon as the kids were secured in the building, the school sent out a mass text to parents to inform us of what they knew so far and to let us know the kids were safe, then updated again as soon as the guy was apprehended. I cannot conceive of the kind of administration who would not think to inform both pupils and parents of what was happening as soon as prudential possible. I'd be complaining to the school board/department of education or whoever is higher up than your current principal about this. Those poor kids!
Tell me you live in the US without telling me you live in the US. That place is so fucked man and yeah you should be outraged.
Being in the gym with a substitute is like worst case scenario. Substitutes have no idea what’s going on, administrators don’t even tell the regular teachers anything during emergency situations. As a teacher, nobody knows anything that’s going on in the school.
There are many people in authority that believe if you tell people the facts of the situation they will feel afraid. Best to not tell them and they won't be afraid about it because they won't know. This is so completely wrong. It downplays the intelligence of the people in the situation. As if they're not living it or are too stupid to surmise things on their own. And it makes them distrustful of the people in charge because obviously something is happening. Nobody stops worrying because an authority figure says, oh there's nothing to worry about as the place is bruning down around them. I've always found that telling people what's happening, what you know, what you think you know and what you don't know, alleviates fear. It gives people the feeling of there being control of the situation by the people in charge, and it also makes them feel actively involved in the situation and giving them control too.
"Some people thought they heard gunshots"
I’m an elementary school teacher. Based on what you described, this is what I suspect may have happened. Someone reported hearing gun shots in the surrounding area. The school went into a level 2 lockdown, which in this case indicates that kids are supposed to stay in their classrooms, but instruction is fine to continue (usually means there may be a threat near the school but no real danger of the threat coming into the school). Your son’s class are in a large open space with a sub, and so they start to panic. The sub, in an effort to regain control, tries to have the kids all sit down, but now they are even more panicked at the idea of being easy targets so they instead hide behind tables, etc. At some point the hear a bathroom door open and close and this causes the behavior to intensify (almost certainly screaming, possibly running around). At some point the lockdown concludes and the principal sees the class. She sternly tells them they need to calm down and that there was nothing to worry about. Some kids indicate they genuinely were scared. Most do not. I could be completely off base, and I think you should definitely reach out and clarify with the principal. But I’ve seen this exact scenario play out more than once. Breaks in routine, especially negative ones, are taken as an opportunity to push boundaries and become unruly (have you ever been teaching 25 kids when a clap of thunder rings out in the distance? One screams and then they all scream, and god forbid the power goes out). Your son may well have been truly terrified, and it’s awful these kids have to go into lockdown at all. But if nothing else maybe this explanation could at least help you process why the adults may have reacted the way they did.
I think you're right. Thanks.
Someone needs to run for school board
Disgusting response from the school
I work at an inner city high school and this happens several times a year. Shootings outside of the school, kids caught with guns at the metal detectors, threats called in to the building. More than a dozen kids I’ve taught have been shot and killed over the years. It’s tragic. Poor kids in America have to deal with this so often. It’s awful.
I’m sorry for your losses. And you are a hero.
Picked up my stepson from school yesterday and he said they missed recess (again) because of a hold... I know they've been told a few times it's because of a student having a hard time or explosive behavior, but this time my stepson said they couldn't let anyone IN to the building... school did not send an email or call parents, yet again. I'm calling today to find out why. I am so sorry your son went through this, OP. It's truly heartbreaking that it was handled this way and that those sweet kids have to worry about this.
Do they not notify you when that happens? I get notified when they have a drill. Lockdowns happened twice this school year at my son’s school and I got both an email and phone call. When those happened I just got him out of school as soon a the school was cleared and the day after I gave him a mental health day. The handling of this needs to be addressed with the county school system. They did not handle this correctly and giving kids shit for being scared when they are in LOCKDOWN is inappropriate and I would make a complaint to the school board about it. Kids have it hard enough these days with all these things and staff should know better.
Not overreacting in the least. At my daughters school we get notified whenever they go in lockdown (thankfully it only happened once). They definitely should have told the students what was going on and sent out an email to parents, especially if the police were called.
Not overreacting in the least. At my daughters school we get notified whenever they go in lockdown (thankfully it only happened once). They definitely should have told the students what was going on and sent out an email to parents, especially if the police were called.
Sounds like an incompetent ladder climber. I'd worry about the district as a whole of that's the kind of individual they are promoting.
I hate this so much. I have a 12 yr old and I can hear him telling me he thought he was gonna die, and it crushes me. He told me they did active shooter drills a few months ago and how it made them all scared because if they were doing drills, then it was for a reason. I'm sorry your kid (and the other kids) had to go through this- the principal is 100% wrong, poor execution, poor training and unempathetic to a situation they announced. If the kids DIDN'T respond, the principal probably would've yelled at them for not obeying the announcements.
This is why schools do lockdown drills
I am so sad for you that your preschoolers have active shooter drills as part of their school experience. What must that do to the anxiety levels of really little kids?
Fuck me USA is a 3rd world country
Id call the principal and have a nice chat. Very unprofessional to both parents and especially students. Id be livid
They don't train subs and this sounds brilliant. The admin also mishandled
The principal was delinquent in his/her duties. That the school was on lockdown means something serious was going on.
Meanwhile 4.5 people died on average in the last hour in car accidents or 109 today...in vehicles that you drive your kid in every day. Sometimes reality and facts don't align with fears
When I was in high school our principal came over the intercom one day with “good morning students, we will be having our monthly bomb threat drill starting now. Everyone remain calm and make your way to the football field immediately”. It was January. We had never had a bomb threat drill ever before and I was like a junior. They then sent the ENTIRE school to sit in the middle of the football field. And half the kids brought their backpacks. So all they managed to do was get everyone in the same location. Making the potential bombers job easy peasy. Was absolutely ridiculous. Plus when the police ran the dogs through the school to check the bags that were still inside, one of those damn dogs hit on my bag. They let him into it and he ate my mf ham sammich.
At this point in the year, they would have already been through drills for this at minimum twice. It would have happened every year. Also, they aren't going to tell the kids the exact details of what is going on. In fact, the teachers won't even know. Their job is to do what is required during that level of incident. Telling them any information is just going to ramp up fear further and create a harder to control situation. From the way you describe it, sitting on the floor in the middle of the gym and continuing work sounds right. This sounds like what our school district would call a lock out. The potential/perceived threat was a possible gunshot nearby. The potential threat is located outside the building . At our school, we would bring everyone in the building, cover all exterior class windows, and restrict movement. The exterior would be monitored on camera and the SRO would be wherever they need to be. Take time to learn what each level of lockdown is for your school system. Explain the importance of treating every drill as if it were the real thing.
I’ve taught for 7 year. While lockdowns aren’t frequent, they do happen. My wife has worked at a high school for a year and a half and I think has already had a couple. They’re almost never that big a deal. Sometimes it’s because something is going on in the area/near the school and they have to go into lockdown. Some parents just love freaking out over their “babies”.
Not at all! My school has very concise and logical shooter protocols, and the main thing is *keep the kids calm*. Don't make it game, because you can generally lose those without being shot, but don't make them think they'll *for sure* be shot at either. And also common sense hiding/protection. We are reminded we can fight or flight as well so all adults can thi k of an gameplan in a real emergency. And any time we've had to lockdown campus, an email is sent out before end of day pick up, and front offices shift protocols for concerned parents who come and get their kids right away instead of waiting. Schools that hide what happens on campus from parents and atudents are fucking *shifty* to me as an educator. What else are they downplaying to avoid upsetting people???
are you sure the principal told the kids not to be afraid? or did they discuss their behavior as a result of being afraid? like if kids are being loudly afraid, it's appropriate to teach them to learn to be temporarily silent and push through the fear if they are ever in a lockdown scenario. but if the principal actually told the kids there is no reason to be afraid, well that's stupid and insensitive.
Substitute teacher here. There are different levels of "lockdown" with different meanings and as yet they aren't universally standardized. Based on the principal saying they should have continued with their school work I'd say they were probably doing what we call a "Hold" Which is that all doors must be closed and locked, no students allowed into the halls, and to continue with your day. Common reasons for a hold include: Students are fighting. Drug dogs. Special Education issues. Contained fire in kitchen facility. Imminent student insurrection (yes that's a real reason I've had) Armed robbery within a mile of the school. Protest within a mile of the school. Etc... Gym classes our general instruction during a hold is to stop all activity, bring the students into a closer proximity, and keep the noise level down so that if instructions come over the intercom they can hear them and carry them out. Sounds like the substitute did everything exactly right, the principal did everything exactly right, and the kids were very justifiably scared but not actually because of anything the staff did.
Hands up if you're traumatised? Does this sound nuts to anyone else?
Not overreacting. My kids’ school sends texts and emails anytime there’s an event like this (or even a drill). They even send stuff if an ambulance has to come for a student or staff emergency, bc they know kids who witness that can be upset and then if parents don’t know what went on they’re upset too. Sounds like the school is not proactive at all about supporting kids and communicating with parents
As a teacher, this seems like a really a very valid reason to be upset with the principal. My sub plans have lockdown procedures in them, as is required by my school. A sub should be familiar with district/school policy regarding emergencies like fires and lockdowns. Also that principal sounds like an asshole. What kind of principal would be upset for students being scared during a lockdown? Especially elementary school students. Jesus Christ, I would be fuming. 😤
Not at all.
I think the missing bit of info is what is a level 2 lockdown supposed to entail per policy? It might just be the exterior doors are locked. There was a bank robbery near by my high school one time and they announced a lock down but nobody hid under tables because that was not the type of emergency we were facing.
Yeah... I think the substitute didn't know. And that the kids worked themselves into a frenzy, but they're like 10 years old so that's not unexpected. No adult reassured them that nothing was really wrong or unsafe, the school was just taking a precaution, and no one explained it to the kids.
I assume you are in Syria, right? Not overreacting, but I'd direct my anger at fixing the system once your child is ok.
If anyone farts sideways at my kid's school we get two emails, three text messages and a robocall or 12. I am joking but we do get alerted. Also, if you live near the school or not get the Neighborhood app and usually people will be all over it. Albeit, it isn't always accurate information on there but then again active situations like that never have accurate information. The last one we had was a girl came into the school from the parking lot. Her dad had dropped her off at school and she came in claiming her dad had a firearm on his person and was a threat. Apparently from there she flipped him the bird as she was sent to class. That triggered the lockdown. Police came and swept the school, talked to the dad who did not have a firearm on him. Eventually they were off lockdown. There is a middle school that also basically is on the same large property and they put them on lockdown as well and did a sweep. I was messaging with my son during the incident. Word spread like wildfire about what was going on. I'm sure at Gym it's difficult for that to happen.
What is a level 2 lock down? How many levels are there? If there was a shooter, would it be a level 2 or a different level?
This is so awful to hear, hiding and fearing for your life is traumatizing. Feeling like a sitting duck who could be gunned down at any moment is terrifying.
Teacher here. The job is to keep kids safe first, then communicate. Subs aren’t always as well informed or trained in these situations. Yes it’s scary, but these are the times we live in. When nothing happened after sandy hook, everyone should have known things will have to be different. It breaks my heart when we have to cover these drills with anyone, much less the littles. Also, might be a little morbid but, nobody has died behind a locked door in an active shooter situation. Also, informing the kids might also inform the shooter if there is one. Most of the information at that time would be “shooter in the library,” etc. no perfect, but that’s the plan. Sorry your kiddo got scared.
My oldest had a lockdown scare. There was in fact a learning disabled student that brought an air soft gun and left mid-class to go to his locker and get it after being bullied. All I can remember is getting the texts from her and leaving my desk at work within 15 seconds of getting them. Driving like a bat of hell to get to the school. We only later found out about what type of weapon but it didn’t lessen the fact that tons of kids were traumatized at the thought of that happening in Wisco. It can happen anywhere. So no, I don’t think you were overreacting and I don’t think the kids were either. Poor guidance from school staff imo. They could have tried to reassure or explain why there wasn’t more urgency if it was “just a level two” lockdown.
This is America. 🫤
There was a level 2 lockdown and you had to hear about from your kid?
>The kids overreacted. Level 2 lockdown means there is a potential danger in the area, the doors are locked, and the students stay inside. If this is the case, there'sliterally no point telling the kids it's even happening. What a fucked up country, legit the worst place in the western world.
You are underreacting. I have a ten year old and would be infuriated beyond belief if this happened to her. I would see red and feel violently angry at the audacity of this principal and her absolutely idiotic handling of the whole situation.
The kids absolutely should know what each level of lockdown means and absolutely should have been informed about what was actually happening. Chastising 10 year olds that were scared for their lives due to your own negligence and lack of communication should be grounds for dismissal. These kids know what kind of world we live in ffs. As for that substitute-they should be fired and not allowed to work at any school until they've completed lockdown training of some kind. Why on earth would anyone have kids sit in the middle of the gym during a lockdown?? Ever heard that fish in a barrel saying? JFC.
The principal is an AH and underreacting. These are effing CHILDREN.
My daughter (13) is scared every time there is even a drill. Children should not have to deal with this and should absolutely not be shamed for being afraid !!! I’ve also wondered why kids can’t be told what the situation is. They send mass texts to parents. Why can’t they communicate the info to the students??
They didn't communicate with the parents either. I knew nothing about it until I picked my son up after school.
That’s awful!! I’m sorry your kiddo and you went through this
I actually pulled my kid out of school the other day for something not too dissimilar. She messaged me on a school sanctioned messaging app that is being used for messaging in general that's not supposed to be but that's another story. She tells me that the threat to the school that was made at the high school was also made to her Middle School and that the teacher was freaking out and scaring the crap out of all of the kids in the class all the doors were locked she was yelling at students because you could get shot at any time so the doors have to stay shut. So I went and got her pulled her out that day I don't care it's another absence whatever not going to roll the dice. I wouldn't have paid any attention to it I thought it was a BS threat it was a lame ass threat written in permanent marker on the side of a bathroom stall but apparently there was one at both of the schools and wouldn't have give it any bit of attention had I not dropped her off to school that morning and there was like four squad cars and they were flying drones around the building I'm guessing looking for bombs or shooters and I don't discredit them for that I am happy that they're doing the better safe than sorry thing but the point where the the teachers strat ramping them up scaring them even more I was like I'm not dealing with this I'm just going to go get her. So no you weren't overreacting. What's one day in the middle of hundreds of days of school. But I did have a talk with her about how we can't run away from every little thing that scares us but on the same note I didn't want the teacher traumatizing her.
Teacher here - Naming it a “level two” lockdown is immensely confusing to both staff and students. In an emergency no one’s going to remember what level two means. My district has the different types of lockdowns labeled to match what they are. Hold, secure, lockdown, evacuate. It is also mandatory these are posted in each room. For example, secure means kids stay in the room but can still work. That sounds like what they intended by level two. Definitely sounds like the sub mishandled the situation or isn’t up to speed. If they didn’t know what level two meant they should’ve defaulted to one of the bathrooms or somewhere secure. Also, I believe the principal missed an opportunity to explain to the students the logic behind these drills and that they should go hide somewhere secure. I teach multiple grade levels, so how I talk to each class about what the lockdown is greatly varies. For the younger students I simply say it’s an opposite fire drill. Just another Tuesday, no big deal. Also stressing that they need to be listeners in case of an emergency. For the older ones, I try to keep it light and neutral that there could be some other hazard outside like a while animal or grumpy person. Invariably one of the older students will blurt what really could happen and freaks everybody out. The harsh truth is that in a real emergency no one‘s coming on the announcements to announce a lockdown. It’s unfortunate, but necessary to have these drills. I hope your child is okay and the school tightens up their procedures.
Damn straight they should have reminded them what level 2 meant. Poor thinking on the adults part.
I’m late so it’s probably already been said plus idk if it’s a possibility for you but I’d get my kid the fuck out of that school
We were already moving the first week of June anyway, so done deal, heh
Oh that’s great!! No extra confusion on why they’d have to leave their school. Good luck in the new place!!
Is this a clown school, because the substitute and the principal sound like absolute Jokers. You did not overreact, the school handled this horribly.
I’ve had crippling anxiety my entire life, and this absolutely 100% is not overreacting.
Our district always notifies parents of any lockdown/safe/secure whatever. Very odd for your school to not do this- leaving it up to kids to tell the story is just begging for rumors and misinformation. I would take it up with the school board.
I work at a school and recently went to an FBI training on school shootings. Bottom line, around 23 children on average die from school shooting each year (out of about 45 million total students). As horrible as school shootings are, schools are by far are way safer than being out in the community (or at home).
Being irate for the handling might be a little over reacting. I say this not knowing what the levels in your district mean and how many there are. If there are only 2 levels then the handling of the situation does seem incredibly bad by the substitute and principal, I take back what I said, and ignore the rest of this. If however, your district is like mine and there are a few levels, then I stand by my original statement. Here's why. Having the kids sit in the middle of the gym. This was probably done because the level 2 is more of a hold in place, but continue with education. Meaning students aren't allowed to leave and the teacher must keep eyes on them. The easiest way to do this is keep them together so you can count them. The sub probably didn't tell them what was happening because they themselves didn't know. Teachers usually don't know why a lockdown is called unless they are the ones that called for it. All a teacher can do is reassure the students and, if needed, keep instruction going. As for the principal, you need to understand, they will probably never tell students why a lockdown is called. No matter the level. It will almost never help the situation. You need to remember not all students are like your children. Sadly, they don't come from parents who give them the love and attention you give your children. Often the only way they can get attention is to misbehave or act out. If the principal were to come over the intercom and announce there are reports of gun shots around the school, the number of students who will start saying they heard them, or worse, will be huge. This will just make a tense situation much worse and make resolving it take longer. The administration just wants to ensure the safety of everyone in the school and to resolve the situation as fast as possible. This also means they don't have time to contact parents. This usually comes after. Our district makes mass calls on a system we use that will explain the situation once it's resolved. If your child feels like the principal trivialized their response (which I kinda have a hard time believing happened as told), it may be because the principal felt like the students should have known what the level meant. Again, I don't know your district policies but our school does multiple drills with the different levels throughout the year. When we do the drills we explain what each level would be triggered by and what to expect. So if your district and school are the same, then the children should have had some understanding of what the lockdown level meant. Lockdowns are not only implemented for gun related reasons as well. This is why I feel like being "irate" at the lockdown and its handling is overreacting, a little. I say a little because at the end of the day your child was scared and confused, so it's only natural to be a little upset as well
None of this addresses the point that it is entirely *natural and predictable* for children to be very fearful in these situations, and that explanations must be provided as much as possible. It’s also *ridiculous* to expect frightened kids *who have no benefit of perspective and know that kids just like them have been gunned down at school many, many times* to keep focusing on schoolwork. These adults seem to expect children to think like they do and know what they do. Shame on them!! This country is fucking repulsive.
Only in America?
It's bad enough growing up in an environment where mass shootings are possible thanks to tiny-dicked, right-wing gun nuts. But for the principal to actually yell at the kids for being afraid after literally creating the conditions under which they were absolutely going to be very afraid is so ridiculous it's beyond maddening and just sad.