Closing the schools only feeds these kids anxiety, it's stupid and counter productive.
Kid's reactions to this situation mirror that of their parents. If the parents are all worked up and acting like they are under siege, of course the kids will be apprehensive. My kids are fairly nonplussed by the whole thing, they realize that the odds of the sniper shooting anyone that we know, are fairly slim. And this is in light of the fact that the Home Depot in Falls Church is 4 mi. from home, 2 mi. from their school.