LIFE

Before school went online, active shooter drills were an unfortunate part of our reality. The drills simulate the protocol that would be taken in the event of an actual active shooter, sometimes with an actor and weapons or blanks being fired.

If you've taken part in one of these high-intensity active shooter drills at your school, then you know how stressful and anxiety-inducing, if not traumatizing, they can be. That's why the American Academy of Pediatrics spoke out against such drills in a statement released this Monday.

The AAP notes that there's little research into the actual effectiveness of active shooter drills that involve simulating a real shooting, and even tricking students and staff into believing a drill is real. To protect students and staff from unnecessary harm, the AAP recommends approaching active shooter drills like fire drills, in a calm and organized fashion.

Instead of high-intensity active shooter drills, the AAP suggests low-intensity drills that take into account student input. These drills would not cause unwarranted trauma through graphic simulations and deception.

They also advise limiting student participation in drills unless the students give express, active consent. Finally, the doctors encourage an emphasis on violence prevention strategies to help address potential crises before they happen. 

After all, school should be a safe environment for learning. While we all want to be prepared in the event of a real crisis, we can't accept the potential toll of high-intensity active shooter drills on students' mental health—especially during an already turbulent time.

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Slider/Header Images: Pexels

by Bailey Bujnosek | 8/26/2020