Letters to the Editor: November 28 – December 4, 2019
No Evidence School Shooting Drills Work
Editor,
Regarding the article in the Nov. 14 issue on the new school construction and shooting drills, unfortunately there is no evidence that ALICE works and much evidence that school shooting drills don’t work.
First, they traumatize our kids every single time. Four times a year. Every year.
Second, they clearly train a possible shooter — almost all will be current students — in the very security protocols the police will use.
Third, drills further teach our kids that adults have done nothing to help solve gun violence in America so they can get attention if they do one.
A better alternative would be to train staff only and leave the kids alone. Focus only on fire drills and safety drills. In addition, ALICE requires kids fight back by throwing things. There is no evidence that this works. None. And again, it teaches our kids to be violent and what the protocol is.
Another suggestion would be to require all parents in the City of Falls Church to lock their guns away and keep the ammo separate. Why? Almost 100 percent of school shooters get their guns from their family.
Shaun Dakin
Falls Church
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