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Children School Teacher on Active Shooter Response
Gun Watch ^ | 23 September, 2013 | Dean Weingarten

Posted on 09/22/2013 11:39:38 AM PDT by marktwain


In a discussion on freerepublic.com   about the Navy Yard active shooter situation, MacMattico posted this response about how the children in his daughter's school responded to an active shooter exercise:

First week of school, my daughter's entire school was put on “lockdown”. They couldn't leave their classes and doors (including classroom doors) were locked. Some idiot had called in a “threat” is all we have been told.

The boys started speaking up first, telling the teacher “if we hear gun shots we're not sitting here” and the teacher repeated they were suppose to stay seated until the “lockdown” was lifted.

Fortunately, nothing happened but the class had already made plans to use the fire escape window to get out if a gunman approached, and how to quickly move a large piece of furniture in front of the door to afford more escape time. The fastest kid in the class volunteered to be the first out the fire escape to run as fast as he could to see if it was safe down there. The girls were in on the plan, to, but chivalry is not dead as the boys said they would help the girls get out first.
The teacher said even if there's gun fire, the plan is to stay seated. One kid told her then you can stay seated next to the door and keep look out while we get out. 
 Notice that the students were not worried about breaking regulations.  They were worried about survival.   They created a plan based on developing circumstances, not one that had to work in all situations.   They were not disrespectful, they simply refused to allow the teacher to dictate to them that they must die in place.

It is interesting that their plan is very close to what actually worked in some school shootings.   A "lockdown" without a means of defense simply creates rooms full of hostages to be exploited.  In a great many situations, running away is a good survival strategy.

Unfortunately, from a bureaucratic standpoint, fleeing the scene of an active shooter is not tenable, because it cannot easily be done with absolute safety in drills.  First graders cannot be allowed to wander from the school.  Middle and high school students may make a drill into an impromptu day off from school, if they leave the campus.  

Still, it is refreshing to see students who are willing to think for themselves, evaluate a situation, and take action.  Too bad school officials cannot seem to foster such a sense of responsibility and to build on it.


 ©2013 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.

Link to Gun Watch


TOPICS: Education; Government; Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: 2ndamendment; activeshooter; banglist; freedom; guncontrol; school; secondamendment; selfpreservation
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To: bigfootbob

Must have been high school...

Probably juniors or seniors


21 posted on 09/22/2013 1:16:10 PM PDT by 2CAVTrooper (Impeach 0bama)
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To: marktwain; MacMattico

Forgot to ping you.

Here is the article.

Maybe you can answer questions.


22 posted on 09/22/2013 1:35:44 PM PDT by marktwain (The MSM must die for the Republic to live. Long live the new media!)
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To: marktwain

IIRC a lot of children died in the chicago catholic school fire of 1959 (?) because the nun teacher told them to remain seated as the flames came down the hall. first disaster i remember as an 8 year old and it freaked me out.


23 posted on 09/22/2013 2:32:41 PM PDT by bravo whiskey (We should not fear our government. Our government should fear us.)
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To: marktwain

Last Spring my youngest school went into lockdown mode due to a break in attempt at the senior housing next door to the school. (He was a High School freshman at the time.) Since this is Connecticut, we have had the discussion on what to do in these situations, regardless of what the school tells you. Run, Hide, Fight.

Get out if you can, no matter what the teacher tell you. You can’t run and you have a good place to hide, them his. Neither of those options available, get a group together and fight. You all won’t make it, but some of you will.


24 posted on 09/22/2013 3:01:59 PM PDT by KosmicKitty (WARNING: Hormonally crazed woman ahead!!)
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To: KosmicKitty

them his = Then do that

Grrrr


25 posted on 09/22/2013 3:09:29 PM PDT by KosmicKitty (WARNING: Hormonally crazed woman ahead!!)
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To: madison10

The teacher might be no dummy. I know teachers who do “drills” by the book because they have to, but they say there’s no way they’re staying in that room if it’s the real thing. They are outta there is the common solution.

All of them want covertly armed teachers, bullet proof glass on the doors and windows, and alternate exits from their rooms.

It only makes sense.


26 posted on 09/22/2013 4:26:34 PM PDT by xzins ( Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support our troops pray for victory!)
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To: marktwain; All
They were 14 and 15 year old 10th graders and I am a she not a he. :)
27 posted on 09/23/2013 7:49:10 PM PDT by MacMattico
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To: MacMattico

Hard to tell on the Internet...


28 posted on 09/23/2013 8:03:40 PM PDT by marktwain (The MSM must die for the Republic to live. Long live the new media!)
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To: MacMattico
Want me to make a correction in the original?

I do not have the ability to edit what is on freerepublic.

29 posted on 09/23/2013 8:16:13 PM PDT by marktwain (The MSM must die for the Republic to live. Long live the new media!)
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To: marktwain

It’s fine! The name does sound kind of “manly”!


30 posted on 09/23/2013 8:52:11 PM PDT by MacMattico
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