Schools are common targets for active shooter events. So it’s good to see one conduct an active shooter drill.
Recently, CBS This Morning reporters traveled to Ohio to film an active shooter drill at Beverly Gardens Elementary School. The spot is part of the morning show’s “School Matters” series.
Now the jaded response to this eight-minute video is that CBS wanted to create fear about firearms to promote an anti-gun agenda. However, this is a real fear of parents today. Schools are supposed to be beacons of education where kids should be safe to learn. Unfortunately, people with some sort of void keep targeting innocents, particularly children. As such, schools must be hardened against intrusion by folks with ill intent.
For this reason, the video can be considered educational, especially to parents, and sadly, children. Active shooter drills teach what needs to be done to protect kids from being harmed. And, depending on the level of intensity, what methods of defense work and don’t work. This drill only shows the inside of a classroom, along with that school’s plans to prevent a shooter from entering that classroom.
Breaking Down the Active Shooter Drill
By definition, a drill is not real. Sure, components can be added to make drills closer to reality, but typically the mind knows that it is a drill. In this case, the classroom obviously knows they are about to go through a drill. It is hard not to when a news crew is there discussing what is about to happen. Regardless, the drill begins with the students sitting at tables doing their classwork.
When the principal announces the drill, panic does not ensue. This is absolutely a good thing. Panic never helps any situation, which is where training truly comes into play. The more people train, the better prepared they will be in any situation. This includes children. Additionally, adults must remain calm in these situations and project that calmness to the students. If the teacher becomes rattled, it will affect the kids.
Once the drill began, the teacher and students locked and barricaded the door. While not foolproof, this will at least slow down an attacker. One thing that was truly interesting was that the teacher dropped a black curtain over the window to prevent a shooter from being to see into the classroom.
Then, the students sat against the wall, and the teacher told them to have something in their hands with which to fight off an attacker. These actions are good, but the most interesting tidbit of information comes when interviewing the superintendent. He obviously cares about keeping the students of his district safe, as he admits that certain personnel have received training and have access to strategically placed firearms in the school. Many consider this controversial, but it is well known that the best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.
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