School Lock Down

I recently became aware that one of the schools in our neighborhood had a lock down the other day. I didn't know what a lock down was until my mom informed me. It's incase someone comes into the school with a gun or there is other danger to the children where they would need to be locked into their classrooms not evacuated.

She has to do regular lockdown drills along with her fire drills and tornado drills. She explained the procedure in her school. They lock the doors to their classrooms, take the children away from windows and shield the children with the teachers. Also, they slide a green card under their door if all their students are inside the classroom or a red card if any of the students are in another classroom or the bathroom. I think that police are stationed at all the entrances to the school.

This new lockdown procedure is a little controversial in that parents are saying it scares the students. I could not imagine being a 5 year old and being told to huddle in the corner while my teacher shielded me with her body for more than 5 minutes without being scared to death. But I, as an adult, understand the need. There are so many dangers that our children are facing in schools that I didn't have to face when I was in school.

Let me explain about the lockdown that happened in my neighborhood the other day. I guess a man who lived across the street from the school went crazy and told police he was going to shoot up the neighborhood.

I read an article just barely about how high schools are doing surprise lockdowns. They are using them to search the school for drugs, and weapons. Interestingly enough, they give the student an "amnesty period" where students can turn in their drugs and weapons without being prosecuted. I think this defeats the purpose of doing them in the first place. But this is the quote that I thought was interesting.

"In the past two years, students have taken advantage of the amnesty period. They have turned in numerous items, including two firearms, an electric stun gun, more than 100 knives or bladed weapons, more than 200 types of unlawful prescription medication, alcohol, cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, pagers, and small quantities of such illegal drugs as marijuana and ecstasy. Tennessee state law prohibits pagers on school campuses."

How sad is it that our children have to face these things every day! It just scares me to death that people are shooting kids and that children are bringing weapons to school and shooting each other. I'm so glad that I'm not a kid anymore but I really fear for my children. It's so hard to just be a kid anymore. Especially when you're faced with things like this.