School shootings are more frequent than ever; there have been 346 shootings since the start of 2023. With the past shootings that have occurred, it can be very difficult for some to feel safe or understand the impact a shooting will have on the community, according to k12ssdb.org.
“It’s going to affect more than people realize,” school officer Tim Bateman said. “It’ll affect people that we won’t even know about because they might go another year after that incident. The [full] effect is hard to say, but it’s going to be devastating.”
If an active shooting were to happen, there are papers around the school buildings stating what to do during a situation like this. These papers usually show either an exit route or discuss the best thing to do.
“The students need to know what the plan is and their role in the plan and I think most of the students know this information,” chemistry and physics teacher David Behlmann said. “If they don’t, they need to discuss it with their teachers or administrators.”
The faculty participates in mandated sessions that review what attackers might do and how to correctly respond to a dangerous scenario.
“I’ve been through–I don’t even even know how many active shooter classes,” Bateman said. “We train every year to stay up to date with the latest and current trends and practices.”
Procedures are put in place to keep students safe if something happens at their school. There are staff who know what to do if something like a live-shooter case occurs. For example, the resource officer, principal, and most teachers should know how to handle the situation and should be the go-to people in this type of emergency. Teachers are required to go over drills during class time so everyone knows what to do if a live-shooter situation occurs. The school has these drills to make sure students feel a little more confident in their abilities as well.
“Hopefully students don’t worry everyday but have a plan and know that the school has a plan and updates the plan as better info and resources become available,” Behlmann said.
