It’s a bright, sunny day in September at Nathan Hale High School. But the blinds are drawn over the windows, the campus is silent, and police cars sit in the parking lot.
In its first quarter of the year, Nathan Hale has already experienced three events in the category of shelters-in-place and lockdowns, which took place on September 14th, September 28th, and October 17th. Shelters-in place are nothing new, but many believe that they have become more frequent in the past few years.
Studies show that drills for these events can increase anxiety in students. As over 95% percent of US schools have undergone these drills in the past few years, they have the potential to impact students metal health.
A shelter-in-place occurs when there is a potential, local threat to a school. It can also happen if there is a medical emergency inside and the hallways need to be clear so medical responders can reach the person who requires care. Classes usually continue as normal, and movement around the school can be limited. However, it is possible for people to enter or exit the school.
A lockdown happens in response to a more serious threat. There is less of a sense of normalcy as students must stay in their classrooms, possibly shifting to a place in the room where they are less visible from windows or doors. No one is let in and all doors stay locked.
Language Arts teacher Lawrence Uhlman has been teaching at Hale for 25 years. Uhlman did not think that shelters-in-place and lockdowns had become more frequent during his experience teaching. Instead, he suggested that increased awareness of the events that cause them have driven people to think they happen more often.
However, Uhlman recognizes that shelters-in-place can have a prominent impact on his classes and the students he teaches.The goal during a shelter-in-place is to “maintain as much normalcy as possible,” Uhlman said.
Uhlman said that lockdowns and shelters-in-place can have the greatest effect on students with trauma or PTSD. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) states that it is of high importance that schools recognize some students and staff may require additional support, and that those in charge react accordingly.
Some research has been done on the topics of active shooter and lockdown drills, and there is disagreement over how these drills affect students psychologically. Some claim that these drills are beneficial as they prepare students for when the worst happens. However, there is considerable evidence that shows drills can increase depression and anxiety.
Nathan Hale has had two drills this school year (plus an earthquake drill, which is not relevant to this article). One of these was a shelter-in-place drill, which was interrupted by a real shelter-in-place. The other was an evacuation drill, which happened in a more conventional fashion.
If threats to schools are more common, then negative impacts on students would become worse. However, like Uhlman, Nathan Hale Principal Jolene Grimes does not think that these events have increased in frequency during her many years in education.
Grimes said that schools are becoming more prepared to deal with these events. This could explain why some might believe that they are increasing in occurrence, as school districts are most likely scheduling more drills in this case.
“Communication is key,” Grimes said, when explaining the schools’ priorities during drills and real lockdowns and shelters-in-place. Misinformation during these events remains a concern for administration, as false rumors can spread among students.
She also mentioned that the students themselves have a responsibility to pay attention to instructions and follow directions during drills, so they know what is expected of them during a real event.
Grimes is concerned for students who might experience trauma around drills and lockdowns. She acknowledges that it could possibly be triggered by seeing fire trucks or police cars outside the school. She said it is important that staff are aware of students who might have difficulty with these situations.
“How do we develop better relationships with our students?” Grimes asked
It is the responsibility of the teachers to ensure the safety of students when these things happen. This is surely more challenging with a completely new administrative staff. Some might consider Hale to have experienced an unusually high number of disturbances this year, but our admin has kept the students safe so far.
Looking to the future, both Uhlman and Grimes have said that talking and communicating about these unfortunate issues will ensure a better outcome for the safety and well-being for everyone.
