When my child was in kindergarten, they came home with a story about a “raccoon” that had been spotted in the school hallway. At first, I thought it was just another imaginative tale inspired by their classmates. However, as they recounted the details, it became clear that this was a euphemism for something far more serious. The students were actually participating in a lockdown drill, where they were instructed to stay quiet and huddle in a corner, pretending to hide from danger. The term “raccoon” was a delicate way for the teacher to convey the gravity of the situation without directly alarming the children.
This revelation broke my heart. It was a stark reminder of the world we inhabit today—a world where children must practice hiding from potential shooters rather than learning in a safe environment. I understood the teacher’s intention to soften the blow, yet this approach inadvertently led my child to genuinely believe that a raccoon could be lurking in the school at any moment. Some classmates even claimed to have seen one on the playground, which heightened my child’s anxiety about going outside for recess.
While my child wasn’t overtly terrified, the situation left them feeling uneasy. They often brought it up, seeming both nervous and fixated on the idea. I couldn’t help but wonder why the school hadn’t communicated more transparently about these drills, leaving parents in the dark about the emotional toll they could have on kids.
This experience isn’t isolated; it reflects a troubling trend as schools across the nation adapt to the grim reality of regular lockdown drills. Many students are acutely aware that they are practicing to hide from an active shooter. The psychological impact of this practice raises serious concerns about our children’s mental health.
Nancy Kislin, a Marriage and Family Psychotherapist, has tackled this issue in her book, Lockdown: Talking to Your Kids About School Violence. She emphasizes that these drills are traumatizing a generation of children. “We must consider the mental and emotional health of our children in this climate of fear,” Kislin states. “Although only 0.05% of children die in schools, millions are traumatized each day.”
Kislin highlights that many children show signs of trauma due to the frequency and nature of these drills, especially those that simulate real-life shooting scenarios. She poses critical questions about the effects on children exposed to media coverage of school shootings, which can be deeply distressing.
A Pew Research Center survey reveals that 57% of teens express concern about a shooting occurring in their school, with 63% of parents sharing this fear. Lockdown drills, while necessary, do little to alleviate the anxiety that children face.
Kislin asserts that parents are often unaware of how frequent these drills are or the specific expectations placed upon children. For instance, they may not realize that some drills involve simulated active shooter scenarios, leaving kids fearful of basic activities like using the restroom.
To mitigate these fears, Kislin suggests several important strategies for schools. First, she advocates for clarity, recommending that schools inform students explicitly that they are participating in a drill. She is particularly against active shooter drills that simulate violence, asserting that these practices are counterproductive.
Additionally, she recommends that parents receive notifications via email about upcoming drills, enabling them to discuss the events with their children afterward. Training for teachers and parents on mental health aspects is also crucial, along with incorporating mindfulness techniques during drills. Afterward, allowing students a moment to decompress—perhaps through stretching or light physical activity—can help them process the experience.
While these suggestions may seem simple, they could significantly impact how children cope with the realities of lockdown drills. I wish I had been informed about the “raccoon” incident at my child’s school so that I could have helped them navigate their feelings surrounding the drills in an age-appropriate manner.
It is my hope, like that of many parents, that children will not have to grow up in a world where school shootings are common. However, as long as this remains our reality, it’s vital that we focus on supporting our children’s mental health and helping them understand the complexities of their environment.
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Summary
Lockdown drills in schools, while intended to prepare students for emergencies, can have detrimental effects on children’s mental health. As exemplified by a child’s misunderstanding of a raccoon drill, these practices often lead to unnecessary anxiety and fear. Experts like Nancy Kislin advocate for better communication and support for both parents and children to help them cope with the emotional ramifications of lockdown drills.
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