Unannounced Shooter Drill Terrifies Students

[+OverSword]

From the article:

The disturbing event happened early in the school day at Jewett Middle Academy on Thursday, November 13th, 2014. Without explanation, the principal announced at 9:00 a.m. that the school was being put into lockdown. Moments later, police officers swept through the school, classroom-by-classroom, with weapons drawn. The bewildered children and teachers actually thought they were in real danger.“We actually thought that someone was going to come in there and kill us,” said 7th grader Lauren Marionneaux to FOX affiliate WTVT. The event was an “active shooter drill,” which are becoming commonplace in America’s public schools, with varying degrees of realism and notification. Ostensibly promoted as a way to thwart school shootings, the controversial and dangerous drills also subtly shape the perspectives of young, impressionable minds.

Link to article

[rashore]

While I think the "need" for such drills is terrible... I can sort of understand the "need" for unannounced drills. When I was a kid many years ago, we had unannounced drills for fire, tornado, and bomb threats.

[Gary Meadows]

At least the students were awake and paying attention...

[some new guy]

I can remember doing Duck And Cover drills when I was in grade school - I was too young to understand the significance of it.

we also had fire and bomb drills but they were never scary

sounds like this is completely different, the kids and teachers were frightened by the drill - cops entering a classroom with guns drawn would be very scary for those not knowing what is going on

BEST - Ron

[Dark_Grey]

We are becoming increasingly decensitized to militarized police forces among us. For the next generation of kids, a gang of armored cops with assault rifles will be "necessary" for house calls. Or busting people for growing tomato plants. Or writing parking tickets.

I remember police officers coming to my middle school to talk about drugs and gangs. These kids will remember officer friendly bursting into the room with weapon drawn during snack time. I wonder what that does for their perception of police officers as they get older...

[Professor Buzzkill]

Disgusting. I don't care how prepared the police "have" to be for school shootings, nothing is worth this.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

If the police want to train for "incidents" in schools, do in on the weekend and school holidays.

Use the buildings and volunteers not INNOCENT victims.

[+and-then]

At least the students were awake and paying attention...

Yep - and just think! The post shooting mental health folks get a chance to "drill" as well! sad...

[Rafterman]

The principal, superintendent, chief of police, board of education, mayor, governor, congressional rep, etc. would have no ass left by the time I was done chewing it for this ****. That is absolutely indefensible and unacceptable on any level. Having lock down drills is one thing and I agree that it's important for police to train, but not at the same time.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Rafterman

[xYlvax]

I remember that when we were taught tornado, fire, and storm drills in school, that first we would have a scheduled practice drill to learn what to do. We would all be notified of what was going on then told how we would handle it before any drills were performed without announcement, or so that if an actual emergency happened we'd be prepared.

Busting in like this without warning is crazy, practice drill or not...I can imagine how horrified i'd be if I were a kid and a bunch of cops busted into the school as if something real was going on..

[libstaK]

Why exactly could they not announce on the loud speaker that this is a drill? If we have fire drills, we know they are drills, when the real things occurs - we are told this is not a drill and that's for ADULTS in work places. This is indefensible.

[aztek]

lol, well i can somehow understand that not just cops, but kids need to know how to act and what to do. and they are right to do it unanounced. cuz i know from fire drills in our buildings, if people know it is a drill, half the people just ignore it, if fire alarm goes off first thing people do, is not leaving the building, but ask anyone they see, "is it real?" i see it way too often, people are dumb to the point that thay will stop and ask anyone in the building if it is real. instead of leaving the building, imagine what happens when they all panic and start running the stairs, i can see people falling, and others just step over them, seen it happen in 2003 blackout. this is exactly why all drills should not be announced.

Edited November 19, 2014 by aztek

[Professor Buzzkill]

lol, well i can somehow understand that not just cops, but kids need to know how to act and what to do. and they are right to do it unanounced. cuz i know from fire drills in our buildings, if people know it is a drill, half the people just ignore it, if fire alarm goes off first thing people do, is not leaving the building, but ask anyone they see, "is it real?" i see it way too often, people are dumb to the point that thay will stop and ask anyone in the building if it is real. instead of leaving the building, imagine what happens when they all panic and start running the stairs, i can see people falling, and others just step over them, seen it happen in 2003 blackout. this is exactly why all drills should not be announced.

Justifying this act legitimizes the military police state. Of course police officers giving your children nightmares is for our own good. How could it not be?

Edited November 19, 2014 by Professor Buzzkill

[Princess Serenity]

It's sad that we need to do drills for something like this. (Yes, I agree with everyone about it not being announced.) But kids/teens/teachers SHOULD BE ABLE TO FEEL SAFE AT SCHOOL!

[Dark_Grey]

It's sad that we need to do drills for something like this. (Yes, I agree with everyone about it not being announced.) But kids/teens/teachers SHOULD BE ABLE TO FEEL SAFE AT SCHOOL!

How many lives do school shootings take before the police even arrive? Bullets move fast. Kids/Teachers already know to lock doors, get under desks, etc

I don't understand what SCARING little kids is doing other than making them not want to go to school tomorrow. It's not like these thugs cops are bringing new, live saving information with their gastapo tactics.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

lol, well i can somehow understand that not just cops, but kids need to know how to act and what to do. and they are right to do it unanounced. cuz i know from fire drills in our buildings, if people know it is a drill, half the people just ignore it, if fire alarm goes off first thing people do, is not leaving the building, but ask anyone they see, "is it real?" i see it way too often, people are dumb to the point that thay will stop and ask anyone in the building if it is real. instead of leaving the building, imagine what happens when they all panic and start running the stairs, i can see people falling, and others just step over them, seen it happen in 2003 blackout. this is exactly why all drills should not be announced.

When schools here do drills, they're announced.

In fact, there's a schedule. In the first term - EVERYONE is told, it's even in the newsletter as to what day it's going to be.

Second term, everyone is told "this week there'll be a drill" and teachers are told what do so if there are any special needs kids they can be warned.

Third term, only teachers are told and advised to not tell the kids unless they really think they have to.

Fourth term, no one is told.

It works, everyone is eased into the drill process and no one panics when there's a real lockdown/fire (mostly).

[Likely Guy]

No, just no. This is too much. It's just terrorizing children to what end? So that they become so beome inured to threats of violence?

[Yamato]

To play devil's advocate, how people respond when they think it's real may have been pivotal to this exercise. The results of the drill will be more accurate case studies.

The OP article closes by asking, "who are the terrorists?" after already providing the answer - we are. Our government, and its many flawed policies alleging to "keep us safe".

[+OverSword]

terrorism

[ter-uh-riz-uh m]

noun

1.

the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.

2.

the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.

3.

a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.

[aztek]

Justifying this act legitimizes the military police state.

nope, not what I said, I justified drill, in general, (and unannounced) not such use of police, yes children need to know what to do when shootings happen, however when shooting happens, cops are not there, why teach children what most likely wont happen??

[Rafterman]

lol, well i can somehow understand that not just cops, but kids need to know how to act and what to do. and they are right to do it unanounced. cuz i know from fire drills in our buildings, if people know it is a drill, half the people just ignore it, if fire alarm goes off first thing people do, is not leaving the building, but ask anyone they see, "is it real?" i see it way too often, people are dumb to the point that thay will stop and ask anyone in the building if it is real. instead of leaving the building, imagine what happens when they all panic and start running the stairs, i can see people falling, and others just step over them, seen it happen in 2003 blackout. this is exactly why all drills should not be announced.

My daughter's school has shelter in place drills without the need for the police to be involved.

[ian hacktorp]

From the article:

The disturbing event happened early in the school day at Jewett Middle Academy on Thursday, November 13th, 2014. Without explanation, the principal announced at 9:00 a.m. that the school was being put into lockdown. Moments later, police officers swept through the school, classroom-by-classroom, with weapons drawn. The bewildered children and teachers actually thought they were in real danger.“We actually thought that someone was going to come in there and kill us,” said 7th grader Lauren Marionneaux to FOX affiliate WTVT. The event was an “active shooter drill,” which are becoming commonplace in America’s public schools, with varying degrees of realism and notification. Ostensibly promoted as a way to thwart school shootings, the controversial and dangerous drills also subtly shape the perspectives of young, impressionable minds.

Link to article

Wow. This is a trio of overfed, low IQ, otherwise unemployable lumps, role-playing with real weapons in US schools.

No kid will feel safer with these half-witted goons around.

America needs jobs, but not like this.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

I'm thinking of the blood shed when one of the "armed teachers" responds with violence to protect their class.

Or some mad parent who CCs is there.

Or when someone freaks out and shoots a kid because of the "pressure".

[+and-then]

lol, well i can somehow understand that not just cops, but kids need to know how to act and what to do. and they are right to do it unanounced. cuz i know from fire drills in our buildings, if people know it is a drill, half the people just ignore it, if fire alarm goes off first thing people do, is not leaving the building, but ask anyone they see, "is it real?" i see it way too often, people are dumb to the point that thay will stop and ask anyone in the building if it is real. instead of leaving the building, imagine what happens when they all panic and start running the stairs, i can see people falling, and others just step over them, seen it happen in 2003 blackout. this is exactly why all drills should not be announced.

This is about what is appropriate for grade school CHILDREN, man. Even adults would be freaked out in such a situation. Some of these kids could be really traumatized by this and it wasn't really necessary. IOW, they could have found a better way.

[Wickian]

Geez, schools really shouldn't be reminding elementary school kids bad guys can break into the school and start shooting them.

Back when I was in high school about the most they felt the need to do was do a mock drug arrest with a student in class who was asked to cooperate beforehand to show the seriousness of bringing drugs to school. I didn't associate with the drug dealing kids, so I didn't know if it had any impact or not.