Active Shooter Drills Belong in The Dinosaur Age!

When I heard the news that two of the largest teacher’s unions were supporting a change in active shooter drills in schools, I felt a sense of relief and pride. Indeed, one of the biggest problems that our students are facing today is their mental health. The #1 risk factor for mental health issues is — TRAUMA. It doesn’t have to be real-life trauma, just any trauma. These drills are traumatic, any way you look at it.

How many people didn’t get back into the water for a long time when they saw JAWS as a child? It took me 3 years. I know it wasn’t real, but it really did traumatize me. I still have high anxiety in any body of water.

In the study of children’s brains, we know that they develop as they grow. Even as they reach high school age, their process of logic and reason isn’t fully developed. This explains a lot of behavior we see. This also means that they have a difficult time separating reality from a drill, and it results in them experiencing the same effects of an actual trauma.

I have some silly ideas. This one may sound ridiculous, but what we are doing now seems ridiculous too. When there is a tough social challenge, I like to add a dose of humor to help make a point. School shootings are the furthest thing from funny. However, as I mulled this through the right side of my brain, I got an idea.

I agree that staff and teachers should be completely trained and prepared. Adult brains are fully formed, and can handle a simulated situation. I will guess that there will be some heated debate within school districts about what to do, as they do want to also prepare the students. But, how can you do that without traumatizing? If we have to walk through emergency preparedness situations, instruct the students on safe exits, places to hide, how can we ensure they don’t experience trauma?

HOW you ask? I believe the answer is a Dinosaur Drill. The chances of having a dinosaur walk into a school is zero. Dinosaurs are not real, but we can all imagine that it would be rather frightening to consider it, but not traumatizing, because even the most underdeveloped brain can understand. In a dinosaur drill, someone would dress up in one of those silly inflatable dinosaur costumes and walk into the school. (Not Jurassic Park style). Then, students and teachers follow protocol. I can imagine that kids would find an edge of humor in it, but would also be able to practice a protocol. When I would pick up my son at school that day, I would imagine he couldn’t wait to tell me about it, and he would be laughing. He would also feel confident that he is trained to know what to do. There would be no trauma.

This type of solution is so simple and ridiculous. It would allow either side of the debate to meet right in the middle. Think about it for a minute.

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