Double Trauma: Lockdown Drills and Our Union's Silent Treatment

Lock-down drills have become a standard practice in public schools across the United States, including New York City, as a response to the increasing concern over school shootings. While the intention behind these drills is to prepare students and staff for potential emergencies, their effectiveness and impact on psychological well-being have been subjects of debate. What are the effectiveness of lock-down drills, their psychological impact, and the legislative efforts to address these concerns? It is clear that these drills are a political response to a relatively rare problem that could be better addressed through enhanced mental health services and our Union, unfortunately as usual, offers no help in resolving this issue.

Lock-down drills are designed to prepare students and staff for emergencies by simulating scenarios where they must secure themselves in classrooms and remain silent. Studies have shown that these drills can improve response times and build "muscle memory" for emergency situations[1]. For instance, a study by the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium found that schools conducting regular lock-down drills experienced 59% fewer casualties during actual incidents[2]. This suggests that drills can be effective in reducing harm during emergencies. However, this study was severely flawed in that it failed to define what constitutes a "real-world mass shooting" in their dataset, no information is provided about the total number of incidents analyzed, no explanation of how they controlled for other variables like building security, response times, or school location and the authors are part of the same consortium publishing the "School Lockdown Drill Dashboard" which suggests potential bias toward finding positive effects of lockdown drills.

The effectiveness of these drills is not universally accepted. Critics argue that the drills often fail to account for the chaotic nature of real-life emergencies and may not significantly improve outcomes[3]. Moreover, the lack of federal guidelines means that the quality and execution of these drills can vary widely between schools[1].

Despite the widespread implementation of lock-down drills, the actual percentage of schools that experience incidents where these drills are beneficial is relatively low. According to the Rockefeller Institute of Government, approximately 98% of public K-12 schools conducted lock-down drills during the 2019-2020 school year[4]. However, the number of schools that have faced actual active shooter situations remains a small fraction of this total. This discrepancy raises questions about the necessity and proportionality of such widespread drill practices.

The psychological impact of lock-down drills on students and staff is a significant concern. Research indicates that these drills can cause anxiety, stress, and trauma, particularly when conducted without proper sensitivity[5]. The National Association of School Psychologists notes that while lock-downs can save lives, they can also produce anxiety and traumatic symptoms in some students and staff[5]. A study by Everytown for Gun Safety found that aggressive lock-down drills contributed to a 42% increase in anxiety and a 39% increase in depression among students[6].

Personal accounts, such as those shared by students and educators, highlight the distress caused by these drills. For example, a student named Isabelle described feeling terrified and isolated during a drill, despite following all protocols[7]. Such experiences underscore the potential for drills to cause more harm than good, particularly when not conducted in a trauma-informed manner.

In response to these concerns, there have been legislative efforts to reform lock-down drill practices. The proposed legislation in New York aims to reduce the number of mandatory drills and ensure they are conducted in a trauma-informed, age-appropriate manner[8]. This includes providing advance notice to parents and staff, avoiding the use of props or simulations, and accommodating students with special needs[8]. Similar legislative efforts have been seen in other states, such as California and Washington, which have introduced bills to regulate the conduct of active shooter drills[9][10].

Lock-down drills in public schools, particularly in New York City, represent a political response to the threat of school shootings. While they can improve preparedness, their effectiveness is limited, and they often cause significant psychological harm. Given the rarity of school shootings relative to the widespread implementation of these drills, a more balanced approach would involve enhancing mental health services in schools and communities. This would address the root causes of violence and provide better support for students' overall well-being, reducing the need for potentially traumatic drills.

By focusing on mental health and creating a supportive school environment, we can better protect our students and staff without subjecting them to the stress and trauma associated with frequent lock-down drills.

Our Union has been notably silent on the issue of lock-down drills. This lack of concern is another example of their failure to address critical issues affecting teacher working conditions and school safety. Despite the growing evidence of the psychological harm caused by these drills, the UFT has not taken a strong stance or advocated for significant changes to protect teachers and students. This inaction reflects a broader pattern of inadequate leadership and a lack of responsiveness to the needs and concerns of educators.

References

[1] A Guide to Effective Lockdown Drills for K-12 Schools

[2] The School Lockdown Drill Dashboard: A New Resource from the Regional ...

[3] School shooting lockdown drills: Are they effective? - CNN

[4] School Lockdown Drill Dashboard - Rockefeller Institute of Government

[5] Mitigating Psychological Effects of Lockdowns - National Association of ...

[6] Sen. Gounardes Joins Parents, Advocates and Experts to Rally for More ...

[7] In the Eye of the Storm: The Trauma of Lockdown Drills

[8] Sen. Gounardes: New Lockdown Drill Regulations are an Important Step ...

[9] Active-Shooter-Drill Bill in California Would Require Advance Notice ...

[10] New law targets active shooter lockdown drills in Washington schools