As the school year progresses, the number of lock down drills have increased.  But are they really helping that much?

Lockdown drills are to practice what schools should do if there was a  lockdown for potentially life-threatening reasons. During assemblies, students are taught if the school is in lockdown, they are to lock and block the doors, turn off the lights and hide quietly in the classroom. Instead lockdown drills consist of the teacher locking the door and carrying on with class. The halls are cleared and breaks are restricted, but these drills aren’t actually preparing students for what could be happening.

The past three drills the school has conducted were used to search students by using the wands.  The main focus of these drills should be toward teaching students how to properly act if put in the situation where they need to react properly.

Current Altoona student, who moved from Kentucky at the beginning of the school year, Corey Minton came from a school were there was very little security and no lockdown drills. At his old school they had a devastating shooting and no one was prepared.  The same thing could happen in Altoona without more preparation.  

If the school has more practice this will leave students more prepared. These drills could be practiced once every month for around 30 minutes, as they are in schools all over the US. Some schools have instituted yearly simulations and more.  This practice will give students and teachers the opportunity to stay prepared and remain safe, if/when it becomes necessary.