When my daughter started kindergarten, she came home one day mentioning a “squirrel” in the school hallway. I was bewildered, thinking it was just an imaginative tale spun by her friends. But as she recounted her experience, it became clear that her teacher had replaced the term for an active threat with the whimsical idea of an animal.
Her story revealed that during the lockdown drill, her class was instructed to huddle quietly in the corner, trying to avoid detection from the “squirrel.” It wasn’t until I pieced everything together that I realized the gravity of the situation: they were hiding from a potential shooter, but the teacher had chosen to soften the truth with a harmless creature instead.
My heart sank. This was the reality of the world we live in—a world where children must practice hiding from danger instead of simply enjoying school. While I understood the teacher’s intentions to protect the kids from fear, it inadvertently instilled a belief in my daughter that there was indeed a squirrel lurking in the hallways. This led to her feeling anxious about going outside during recess, as a few classmates had claimed to have spotted one on the playground.
The situation was troubling, not just for my daughter but for countless children across the nation, who are now accustomed to these lockdown drills. Schools are grappling with how to navigate the conversations surrounding school shootings while ensuring the safety of their students.
It’s staggering to think that while the likelihood of a child dying in a school shooting is less than 0.05%, millions of children are subjected to the stress of lockdown drills each year. Nancy Reed, a child psychologist, emphasizes the urgent need to address the psychological toll these drills take. Her recently published book, Drills and Distress: Understanding the Fear in Our Schools, explores how these practices can traumatize a generation of kids.
Reed notes, “We have to prioritize our children’s mental health in this climate of fear.” Many children are showing signs of anxiety and trauma due to the drills, especially when they involve simulated shootings. “Witnessing real-life violence on the news or social media can have lasting effects on young minds,” she explains.
According to research from the Pew Research Center, a staggering 57% of teenagers express fear that a shooting could occur at their school, while 63% of parents share this concern.
Although lockdown drills are deemed necessary, they often exacerbate the anxiety children face daily. Reed points out that parents are frequently left unaware of how often these drills occur or what they entail, keeping them in the dark about their children’s experiences.
To mitigate the negative impacts of these drills, Reed suggests several important strategies. First and foremost, schools should clearly communicate to students that they are participating in a drill, ensuring they understand it’s not a real threat. She is particularly critical of active shooter drills that simulate violence, advocating instead for a more supportive approach.
Reed also believes that parents should be notified after a drill so they can discuss it with their children, providing emotional support. Additionally, schools should consider training teachers to implement mindfulness techniques during drills and allowing time for students to decompress afterward, perhaps through light physical activity or relaxation exercises.
Such simple adjustments could significantly improve how children process these stressful situations. Personally, I would have appreciated being informed about the “squirrel” incident beforehand. Understanding these drills and having strategies to help my daughter cope would have made a world of difference.
Like any parent, my greatest hope is that my children grow up in a world where they don’t have to practice hiding from danger. But given our current reality, it is crucial to focus on helping our children navigate their fears and protect their mental well-being.
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Summary:
Lockdown drills in schools, while intended for safety, can have detrimental effects on children’s mental health. Many children, like my daughter, may experience increased anxiety and fear due to these practices, often without parents being aware of the emotional toll. Experts suggest that schools should communicate clearly about drills, provide emotional support, and implement mindfulness techniques to help students cope.
Keyphrase: Lockdown drills and children’s mental health
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