The toll from gun violence in American schools has grown to record levels, with federal officials reporting the . Schools across the nation have implemented lockdown drills in response, hoping to teach students and staff methods to stay safe during a threat.
But research indicates those drills may, instead, be inflicting .
During the 2020-21 school year, at public and private elementary and secondary schools. It's a record-setting total that included 43 school shootings with deaths, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Kate Dias, a high school math teacher and president of 海角换妻 Education Association, says students are becoming numb to all the violence.
鈥淭hat is absolutely the probably the saddest outcome of this 鈥� that we as a society have normalized threatening children to the point where the children just assume, 鈥極K, we'll practice and follow what we're supposed to do.鈥� It is normal for them.鈥� Dias said on 海角换妻鈥檚 鈥�Where We Live.鈥� 鈥淲hen you talk to high school kids, that's not something that they necessarily are comfortable with. They're not OK with it, but they're just aware that they're a little bit on the helpless side of things.鈥�
There is limited data on the long-term mental health consequences for children exposed to active shooter drills in school. But drills , as they occur during important years for youth brain development.
The intensity of the lockdown drill can also greatly impact students鈥� mental well-being, according to David Schonfeld, director of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement at Children鈥檚 Hospital Los Angeles.
鈥淪ome of these drills try and simulate an actual shooting experience. We don't know how often this happens, but [there are] at least a few cases where the children have actually been deceived, or they haven't been told it's a drill,鈥� Schonfeld said. 鈥淲e think that type of deception, whether that involves children or the staff, is inappropriate and shouldn't be occurring.鈥�
A conducted by Safe Havens International found that school staff who completed active shooter training with the common 鈥溾�� guidelines were almost twice as likely to make critical mistakes during simulation drills than staff who were untrained.
Even lockdown drills that do not simulate active shooter experiences can still promote dangerous action during an emergency.
Teachers and students may be taught to fight a shooter when it would be safest to run or hide in some lockdown preparedness materials, according to a by Schonfeld and other experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics.
A by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2021 found that anxiety, depression and stress increase by around 40% after lockdown drills. This is amid growing concern that students who plan to carry out a shooting on campus will gain insight on emergency procedures, according to a peer-reviewed by criminal justice and psychology professors from SUNY, The State University of New York.
One of the best ways to help both students and faculty deal with lockdown anxiety is to start a conversation about it.
鈥淎s an educator, one of my roles with the kiddos is to always listen. I want them to have that reassurance,鈥� Dias said. 鈥淢y job is to help them feel like they don't need all the answers, because I'm going to help them.鈥�
School staff and students should have access to mental health professionals at all times during lockdown drills, according to from the National Association of School Psychologists, the National Association of School Resource Officers and Safe and Sound Schools.
Setting aside time for students to speak with not only school therapists, but teachers and peers after a drill or an actual emergency is critical.
鈥淲hen an incident occurs, kids will come in and share with you. 鈥楾his is really stressful. This is really traumatic. I can't believe this happened again,鈥欌�� Dias said. 鈥淲e have to have the conversation with high school kids; you actually have to let them talk about how they feel. Validate. 鈥極f course this scares you 鈥� why wouldn鈥檛 it?鈥欌��
Children and parents in 海角换妻 can for access to youth mental health emergency care.
海角换妻's Catherine Shen and Tess Terrible contributed to this report.
