Active Shooter Training in Area Schools Proposed

[XLFD]

Shooting up a school is a crazy notion.  The people who make the decisions on how best to counter school shootings often have crazier notions.  Witness MCC's recent training in ALICE procedures with all the inconsistencies of training noticed in that article.  But even when done properly, is such training justified?  There was the even crazier purchase of door hardware for Mason County classroom doors for $170,000.  Crazy because it could have been done for much less (1/6th of the price), and insane because it presents an unnecessary fire safety hazard. 

The latest brainchild of our countywide school safety committee is to hold an active shooter training at MCC High School so as to better train everyone how to act if such a situation ever occurred.  Here is the announcement in yesterday's COLDNews:

This is a controversial issue that should be vetted among the MCC students and parents before this even germinates into reality.  Such exercises are the norm if you choose a life in the armed services or in the public safety services, like firefighting, police work, and emergency medical work, but is it justified among the immature psyches of high school kids?

In a 2016 Psychology Today article, "Should Students Be Trained to Respond to School Shootings?", it is concluded "Identifying and defusing the kind of problems that might lead to students becoming shooters, including bullying and psychiatric issues,  is probably a far more effective approach for keeping children safe. "

In the article a study of 197 college students is noted that found that realistic approaches in training students what to do in an active school shooter educated them on what to do, as may be expected, but had substantive negative effects.  Each group, especially women, in the study expressed more fear in being victimized.  It is noted that such shootings are very rare, but training (which in this case did not involve a 'real' active shooter) gives the false perception that the student may find themselves in such a situation.

Another negative effect noted, that cannot be minimalized, is that the trainers may be inspiring a copycat attack by one or more of the students they are training, or even a suggestible mentally disturbed member of the community who may want to show they can exploit a weakness. 

In a 2014 NBC News report on active shooter drills, Stephen Brock, a California State University professor and member of the National Association of School Psychologists added:  “Live drills can be very intense and potentially psychologically harmful for some people.   It’s not likely to cause post-traumatic stress on its own, but “if a child has some pre-existing mental health challenges”—up to 20 percent of students do, says Brock—“this could exacerbate that challenge.”"

Wayne Johnson, a veteran of Afghanistan and a firefighter since was outspoken about the active shooter training:  “I would have a real problem with them doing that in my kids’ school.  Sure, I get it, that’s probably the best drill training that you’re gonna have, but at what cost?”.  He worries that the drill would “traumatize” some kids and “desensitize” others.

But what do the kids say after such training, it comes out like this:  “When it happens, I’ll know what to do.” Or, “When it comes, I won’t be frozen in my tracks.”  They seem to have internalized the idea that a school shooting is inevitable—it’s not a question of “if,” but “when.”

School shootings are indeed increasing, despite the proliferation of drills and heightened security measures. Or maybe as an unintended consequence of them.  Yet the likelihood of a violent death in school is still minuscule—about a 1 in 2.5 million probability.  Does it justify the time and resources involved in such drills, especially with the psychological drawbacks?

The students are effectively being taught a sobering lesson on how powerless they are to an armed attacker, even when they are told they need to throw paper wads and pencils to disorient the man with the assault rifle.  Indirectly, they are being trained to be victims, and to hate guns (ironically, even when the good guys with guns come to their rescue). 

Teens and younger kids have a host of other problems that adolescence brings in this day and age.  Do we really need these nihilistic reminders to assure their safety should the unlikely event of a school shooting ever take place in our area?  The depression and feelings of helplessness such exercises bring, can lead a teenager or young adult to suicide or other negative behaviors. 

About 5000 suicide deaths in America happen in the 15-24 year old category each year, being the second leading cause of death in that age group behind 'accidental' deaths.  The rate of attempts and serious thoughts about the act has been increasing recently, in a possible correlation to the recent push in some areas to have such traumatic training in schools.

There were 2 school shooting deaths in the USA in 2015 (16 more at colleges), both happened after regular school hours.  So far in 2016, five people have died in school shootings, only two of whom were victims of the shooter. 

In that same time many thousands of high school kids have died from their own hand, due to the psychological stressors of their environment and a feeling of hopelessness.  Is the proper answer to add a lot more stress and make them feel even more powerless?  

Our well-intentioned, well-educated school safety committee apparently thinks so. 

[Willy]

One of the biggest drawbacks to this type of "training" is that all the security plans and all of the movements the police will make during a rescue will now be known to a potential student shooter who attends this school. Not very bright. Where is all this paranoia coming from? A student has a better chance of being struck by lightning than being killed by a shooter at school and if that's not enough, a student has a better chance of winning the lotto jackpot than being shot at school. Kids will only be more paranoid by having to go thru this "stupid" scenario. These County leaders who advocate this type of program must be drinking PM bayou water.

[Jasper]

This idea is beyond the realm of preposterous!!! Who dreams this crap up? Nothing like causing PTSD in kids! The paranoia among educators and the local MCSO is beyond the pale. At least parents have the option for their child to opt out of this craziness.

[John Doe Jr]

Just another way to spread fear to raise money using children as the key to profit. Disgusting. This town loves the 911 factor. Turning simple grievances into full blown episodes. Yet, when a Judges sister-in-law gets another drunk driving what happens??? Nothing' Move along.... Or a MSP, drunk? Ahh, nothing... Not to mention other episodes where these officials have done more damage and created more fear but, they got away with it. Militarize rogue forces and zero accountability or transparency. People should fear Law enforcement more than any other scenario.  

[XLFD]

Tomorrow is the date of this exercise, and I hope to visit the campus of Mason County Central during the active shooter drill as a war correspondent.  I would advise that if you are a parent, uncle or grandparent of a kid that goes to MCC High School and have some questions as to their ability to deal with such a situation that you insist they stay home tomorrow.  Here is the COLDNews' latest update.

[John Doe Jr]

 They care more about things that have not happened than the things that have happened. What about authority adults who have had alleged relations with students? I see they pushed that discussion under the rug nicely...

[Willy]

This is just plain nuts. Getting kids hyped up about someone entering the school trying to kill them is beyond idiocy. The progressives have got the kids so paranoid now by believing that the Earth is going to be destroyed by climate change, I guess they figure that by diverting their attention from climate change to terrorist paranoia would be a breath of fresh air. I can hear it now. "Hey kids which will you choose, dying from climate change or a terrorist's bullet?"