Lockdown or active shooter drill? The distinction matters for children s safety and well

Billy Odell Tucker-Robinson Founder & Host — Banking With Billy Network • Intelligence Network • Data Science • AI Research • World News
Published: 2026-09-16T20:27:23.642Z • Permanent link

Lockdown drills have been a common occurrence in schools across the United States, particularly since the 1999 Columbine High School shooting. However, recent incidents have raised questions about the effectiveness of these drills in preventing real shootings. In 2018, a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, led to renewed calls for stricter gun control laws. In response, the U.S. Department of Education announced a new set of guidelines for school safety drills, emphasizing the importance of realism and student participation. According to a report by the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2019, nearly 75% of public schools in the United States conducted active shooter drills.

Drills of this nature are designed to prepare students for a real-life emergency, but critics argue that they can be traumatic for students who are subjected to simulated violence. For example, a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that students who participated in lockdown drills reported higher levels of anxiety and stress. Despite these concerns, many schools continue to conduct these drills, citing the need to prepare students for the possibility of a real shooting.

Meanwhile, some schools have opted for alternative approaches, such as "hardening" schools through physical security measures, such as metal detectors and security cameras. According to a report by the National Institute of Justice, in 2020, over 90% of schools in the United States had at least one metal detector installed on campus. However, these measures are not foolproof, and some critics argue that they can create a false sense of security among students and faculty.

The distinction between lockdown drills and active shooter drills has significant implications for companies that provide safety solutions to schools. For example, companies like Safeguard Scientifics, which provides security solutions to schools, may need to adjust their marketing strategies to emphasize the benefits of alternative approaches, such as physical security measures. Research communities, such as the National Association of School Psychologists, may also need to reassess their recommendations for school safety drills. In terms of markets, the debate over school safety drills is likely to have a significant impact on the sales of safety-related products, including metal detectors and security cameras.

Furthermore, the debate over school safety drills has significant implications for policy environments, particularly at the federal level. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Education announced a new set of guidelines for school safety, which emphasize the importance of student participation and realism in drills. However, critics argue that these guidelines do not go far enough in addressing the root causes of school violence, such as gun violence and mental health issues. As a result, policymakers may need to consider alternative approaches, such as increasing funding for mental health services and implementing stricter gun control laws.

The debate over school safety drills is part of a larger pattern of competing approaches to school safety. On one hand, there are those who argue that lockdown drills are an effective way to prepare students for a real-life emergency. On the other hand, there are those who argue that these drills can be traumatic for students and do not address the root causes of school violence. This debate is also part of a larger historical context, in which schools have been grappling with the issue of school violence for decades. In the 1970s and 1980s, schools responded to the threat of school violence by implementing measures such as metal detectors and security cameras. However, these measures were not effective in preventing school shootings, and the debate over school safety drills has continued ever since.